Mika and Naruto Uzumaki: Changes
by mksfroogle
Summary: Welcome to the second part of my three part fanfiction. Join Mika Uzumaki, Naruto's twin sister as she trains for three years, becoming stronger and wiser. She will train in Suna and in the Land of Snow. She will face many adventures and meet many new people and maybe even fight love. Enjoy the story! I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.
1. Gaara's Village

**Welcome to the second part of my Naruto Fanfiction Story! Mika and Naruto Uzumaki: Changes. This is the part of the story where Mika will train her heart out, find the mysterious temple of monks who will help her control Okami's power and then Mika might find love? Who knows? Find out!**

**Also, there will a lot of flashbacks in this part 2 story as well for some filler lol Only at the end of each chapter though. **

**Enjoy!**

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

(Flashbacks)

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Mika Uzumaki.

She has reddish-brown hair that falls just below her shoulders and has bright blue eyes just like her brother.

She wears a black undershirt with a mesh shirt over that and a jacket similar to Naruto's with the colors of blue and green instead of orange and blue. She wears her leaf headband around her waist.

She loves ramen, roasted tomatoes, rain, dogs, and drawing.

She hates pickles, raw vegetables, cats, snakes, spiders and her own anger.

Her dream is to one day become as strong as Lady Tsunade and to control the Eleven-tailed demon's chakra that resides inside of her.

How can she do it?

She has to find Okami's temple in the Land of Snow somewhere amidst the snowy mountains.

Is she doing that right now? No.

No. She is being forced to follow the sand siblings to their village by the recommendations of Gaara. Mika appreciates what Gaara is doing for her but really? She needs to train!

They had just left the Leaf Village two and a half days ago and will reach Suna by dusk in a few hours.

Mika was currently sweating her ass off as they ran through the desert on foot, but her sand ninja friends didn't seem affected by it.

"Gaaaaaaaara!" she whined and Gaara glanced behind him with a frown.

'_She's been complaining for the last five fucking hours. Shut the fuck up!' _Of course he couldn't say that out-loud in fear of hurting her feelings.

"What?"

"Will you carry me?"

Neither Gaara nor his siblings were prepared for that outrageous question as Mika didn't wait for an answer and jumped on Gaara's back careful not to unhook his sand gourd.

"Oof!" he grunted and Temari and Kankuro couldn't help but to giggle until Gaara sent a glare at them.

He kept walking but hissed at her, "Get off."

"Whhhyyyyyy? It's hot and I'm tired!" she complained in his ear.

"I know. You're sweating. Get off."

"You're no fun." She pouted and fell off his back to sit in the hot sand.

"Aw come on, Mika!" Kankuro kneeled beside her, "We're almost there. And besides, you'll be staying with us and our home has air conditioning"

"And we have a pool" Temari chipped in.

"I'll race you there!" Mika jumped up immediately and ran out in front of Gaara only to be caught by his sand.

"No racing. We'll be there in a few minutes if we walk. See up ahead? That's the Suna wall."

Mika followed Gaara's pointing hand to see a giant rock wall with a gate in front.

"Cool"

When they finally reached the gates, a few guards smiled as they watched the leaf ninja fall into the shade.

"Finally!" she shouted as she stretched out in the cool sand. The sand siblings rolled their eyes at her antics and Gaara lifted her up with his sand.

"Follow." Were his only words as he grabbed her hand and made her follow him to the sand sibling's estate.

They walked through the village, met by plenty of glaring eyes as Gaara led the leaf ninja to his home. It was obvious that the Suna villages still didn't care for Gaara but they hated the newcomer more.

When they finally reached the estate, it was dusk just as the sand siblings said when they'd arrive.

"Whoa! Your place is huge!"

"Well what did you expect for the Kazekage's kids?" Temari placed her hands on her hips as they entered the building. It was very clean and open in the room that Mika expected was the foyer and she nearly fainted when she felt cool air hit her face and body.

"Awwww! That's nice."

Gaara lightly smirked as he took her hand again and led her through the living room and up the stairs, "I'll take you to your room. You can meet the temporary Kazekage tomorrow morning and we'll start your training as well then."

Mika groaned but followed her friend without question. When they reached a new hallway at the top of the stairs, there were five bedrooms doors. Two on each opposite side and one at the end of the hallway. Gaara led her to the first one on the right.

"This will be our room. My room is right beside yours and Temari and Kankuro's is on the this side of the hall."

"What's that door then?" she pointed to the one on the end.

"That was my uncle's room. You can't go in there but if you need anything, don't hesitate to knock on our doors."

Mika nodded and looked up to her red-headed friend with earnest, "When do I meet the Kazekage and when are you going to teach me stuff tomorrow?"

Gaara thought about it and unhooked his sand gourd from his back to straighten up. He was proud that he had grown taller and now he was a good foot taller than Mika, "You'll meet the temporary Kazekage at eight in the morning and depending on how long the meeting lasts, let's say ten for training."

He started to leave but she spoke again.

"What are you going to teach me?"

"Wind style jutsu."

"How long are we going to train?"

Gaara was getting irritated by the number of questions she had, "For as long as I say. Now get settled in and go to bed."

With that, he opened the door for her and left to go to his own room.

Meanwhile, Temari and Kankuro were downstairs talking about Gaara's peculiar mood around Mika.

"He seemed a lot more talkative around her, don't you think?" Temari asked her brother but the middle child just ate his hamburger steak peacefully.

"Kankuro!"

"What!? Yes alright?! Very talkative." He sputtered with the food still in his mouth.

"You just ate an hour ago, Kankuro, you pig!"

"So?! I'm a growing boy!"

Meanwhile with Mika. . . .

She laid down on her new bed and stared at the ceiling. She didn't mean to piss Gaara off but he had to learn to relax more. He seemed so tense anymore.

"Was it something I did?" she asked herself.

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The next morning, Mika woke up at seven and walked to her own private bathroom and took a shower and got changed and ready to see the Kazekage.

When she left, only then did she realize she didn't know where she was going but decided to just use her free twenty minutes to explore on her own. Not ten minutes later did she find the correct building and office.

"What do you mean she can't stay?!" a familiar raspy voice yelled in the Kazekage's office. Mika just stood outside of the door and waited for the person to leave. She didn't want to intrude. She sniffed and recognized Gaara's scent.

'_What's going on? He didn't have permission to bring me here?'_

"What I mean is that the Fifth Hokage has sent me rather worrying messages that Mika Uzumaki can be dangerous if provoked or angered. I don't think it's wise for her to be in this village with us. We put up with you just as it is!"

There was a low growl, "Listen to me. I'll keep an eye on her. Don't worry. Nothing will happen and if it does, I'll take care of it. I swear. You can trust me."

The authoritative voice that Mika thought was the Kazekage grunted and sighed, "Very well then. But she can only stay for one month and no longer. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly Sir."

"You are dismissed."

Mika wasn't prepared to see Gaara open the door to leave. He stopped when he saw her with a momentarily shocked expression on his face. It disappeared quickly, "He's ready for you."

Then he just walked away, "You'll meet me outside the building when you're finished."

Mika narrowed her eyes suspiciously and walked in.

"Lord Kazekage? I was told to come meet you?"

An elder man with long white hair looked up from some papers and frowned, "Yes. You're Mika Uzumaki. I recognize you from your profile picture. I just have a few things to say to you."

"Yes sir?"

"If you dare to try and threaten my village, you can expect harsh punishment. You will not threaten any villagers or shinobi here and you will not let your 'liability' of being a Jinchuriki be known. If this happens, you will be cast out of Suna with no food, water or ration pellets. Am I clear?"

Mika was pissed off to say the least but nodded anyway, "Yes. Of course sir."

The old man grinned sickeningly, "Good. Now I believe that young Gaara is waiting for you."

Mika left quickly without another word and practically ran out of the building to meet Gaara.

The red-head was waiting for her a few yards away and Mika stomped over to him, "Your temporary Kazekage is a jerk."

Gaara smirked, "I know. But soon it will be me in that chair. I won't give up until I am. Let's go to the training grounds. Follow me."

Mika followed Gaara without complaint which the one-tailed Jinchuriki was grateful for.

Once they reached the training grounds, Gaara unhooked his gourd from his back and stretched a little. It seemed as though they were sharing the grounds with a few other shinobi that paid them no mind.

Mika waved her hand in her face, "It's so hot out! You mind if I take off my jacket?"

Gaara shook his head but wasn't prepared for when Mika flung off the heavy clothing and her two other shirts only to be left in a blue shorts bra and her baggy blue and green cargo pants and sandals. For once, she even put up her hair in a ponytail. Gaara had never seen her like this before but it sure was different. He felt his face heat up a bit.

'_Strange. She's. . .'_

Gaara stopped the thoughts right away before starting the lesson, "We'll start simple. Have you been taught any wind jutsu recently?"

Mika nodded eagerly, "Yeah! Sort of. Jiraiya started teaching me the Rasengan but I can't seem to get the hang of it like I did the Chidori so well."

Gaara nodded, "Show me."

Mika rubbed the back of her head and shrugged, "Alright."

She held out her palm and concentrated on her chakra only to produce a puff of swirling warm air.

"That was pathetic."

"Shut up Gaara! I'm trying!"

"Not hard enough" he muttered, "Try it again. Put more chakra into it."

"Uuuuuuuugh!"

For the past eight hours, they trained nonstop until Mika was fed up with it.

"Gaara! We've been training since eight! It's four already and we haven't eaten lunch! All I've been doing is swirling chakra around!" she whined until Gaara had enough.

"Fine. Let's stop for the day then. Let's go."

They left and the shinobi that had been training earlier in the same training grounds sighed.

'_Perverts'_ Mika thought.

Gaara took her hand and led her through Suna, "We'll get something to eat at Tagaya."

Mika hurriedly grabbed her shirts and jacket, putting her inner shirt back on to cover herself from unwanted eyes and decided just to carry her jacket under her arm. When they reached the restaurant, Gaara was greeted warmly by the employees.

"Wow. You come here often enough?" Mika teased him and the red-head smirked a little.

"Bout as often as you visit Ichiraku ramen bar."

"Oh my god! You live off of their food! No wonder they like you! You're their number one customer!"

Before Gaara could reply, a young woman came up to them, "Good after noon, just the two of you?"

Gaara nodded and let the blonde waitress seat them at a nearby table for two. Mika and Gaara ordered some ice water and waited for the woman to come back.

"So what would you recommend here Gaara?"

"Their Gizzards are really good."

Mika pulled a disgusted face, "Ew. No. Something I would like."

Gaara sighed, "Fine. Try the sweet red bean soup. I can see you eating several helpings of it."

Mika teasingly swatted his arm and the waitress gasped when she saw the interaction.

Carefully, the waitress placed their water in front of them, "W-what would you t-two like to order today?"

Gaara spoke for them, "I will have the usual and Mika here, will have the sweet red bean soup with some roasted tomatoes."

Mika blushed, "You remember my favorite food?"

Gaara stayed silent, however and sipped his water to wait for the waitress to come back with their food. It was awkward to say the least in the silence and Mika didn't like it one bit.

"So I heard you talking to the Kazekage earlier. What did you mean by you'd keep an eye on me? Did Tsunade put you up to this?"

Gaara stopped drinking his water and stared at the ice cubes floating in the glass, "Yes. She made me promise to get you out of the village and somewhere the Akatsuki would not think of finding you."

Mika slammed her fist on the table, "And you couldn't tell me this before?!"

The waitress reappeared with their food and quickly ran off. Gaara started eating his gizzards and Miso soup. Mika knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him so she settled for trying her soup.

"Mmmmmmm. You were right. It's good. I like it."

Gaara glanced up at her from his bowl of soup to acknowledge her words.

When they finished eating, Gaara paid for the food and they left to the Subaku estate.

After they had finished training, Mika felt so gross that she just had to take a shower.

'_God I smell awful!' _

She jumped out of her clothes and went to the shower again to get clean. When she was almost finished, she heard someone enter her room.

"Temari?! Is that you?!" she shouted but no one answered.

'_Oh well. I guess I was just imagining it' _

When she was finished washing she left the shower and wrapped a towel around her waist and chest to leave the bathroom. However, when she reentered her room, she was shocked and disgusted to see Kankuro going through her drawers. He looked a bit different without his black soit on but still wore his purple war make-up on his face.

"What are you doing?!"

Kankuro jumped up with a pair of her underwear in his hand with a guilty but pleased expression on his face, "Uuuuuuuhh"

Then he ran out of the room with her underwear.

Mika growled and ran out of the room, following Kankuro only to be shut out when he ran into his own room.

Mika banged on the door, "Kankuro! You sick son of a bitch! Get out here right now!"

"No!"

"Kankuro! I'm gonna kill you!"

"Go away!"

"No!"

"What's going on out here?"

Mika turned to yell at the newcomer until she saw who it was. Gaara had come out of his room to see what the yelling was all about. And apparently, he had just taken a quick shower as well and was wearing a blood red towel around his waist. His wet chest and stomach were visible to show his Jinchuriki seal and Mika just stared uncomfortably.

Mika gulped as she realized that she was only in her towel as well, "Uuuuuhhhh. . . .Kankuro took something of mine" she blushed horribly as Gaara sighed and came closer knocking on Kankuro's door.

"Kankuro, give her back what you took."

"No! Leave me alone!" was the reply and Gaara sighed and conjured sand from the walls to flow in his brother's room.

The effect was immediate, "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh! Gaara! Quite it! Alright!"

Kankuro opened the door and threw Mika's underwear in her face, "There!" and he shut the door again in her face.

Gaara quietly walked away as Mika stood there blushing beet red and frozen with shock.

When Gaara reached his room, he pondered on what he had just seen, _'Hmmm. I felt strange after I saw her like that. Does it mean something?'_

He shook his head and put some new clothes on.

When Temari got back from her own training at a different training ground, she stopped by Mika's room first and knocked on the door.

"Mika! Open up!"

Slowly, Mika opened the door, wearing blue and white doggy pajamas with cute little ninja dogs all over them, "Yeah?"

"Hey I hope you don't mind but I bought you some new clothes earlier that I thought you might find more comfortable. After all, what you brought isn't exactly desert appropriate."

Mika smiled lightly but Temari noticed her strange attitude and walked in her room, "Alright. What's wrong?"

Mika blushed again, "Nothing's wrong!"

"Oh don't give me that! You're blushing now! Something must have happened!"

Mika blushed harder, "Your brother is a pervert!"

Temari raised an eyebrow, "Gaara?"

"No! Kankuro! I caught him snagging my underwear earlier while I was in the shower but then Gaara made him give them back to me. . ."

She stopped talking when Temari started to laugh, "Ha! That's hilarious! But don't worry. Gaara puts Kankuro in his place on a daily basis. I'm sure you won't be having any more problems with him. But this isn't about Kankuro is it?"

"What do you mean?" Mika asked as she sat on her bed with her knees to her chest. Temari came over and swung an arm around her shoulders.

"You like Gaara. Don't you?"

"Of course I like him, He's my friend."

"No. I mean, you _'like'_ him." She emphasized but she still didn't get it.

Temari sighed, "You want Gaara romantically."

"What?! Ew! No!"

Mika stuck out her tongue and Temari laughed.

"Oh whatever! I forget you're still only what? Thirteen?"

Mika pouted and glared half-assed at Temari's leaving form.

Meanwhile, Gaara heard the whole conversation_, 'She doesn't like me?'_

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The next few days were pretty much routine after that day. Gaara would wake her up for breakfast, they would train for eight hours a day and then go to Tagaya for lunch/dinner. Then they'd come back to the Subaku estate to do their own thing. Temari and Kankuro questioned why Gaara set up this routine but received no answer.

Gaara's only objective was to help Mika somewhat master the Rasengan somehow and keep her out of trouble.

After the first week of being there, Mika finally learned the Rasengan half-assed and more people showed up to watch Gaara help train Mika Uzumaki. After all, it was rather unheard of that Gaara would take away his own time to spend it with anyone else but is siblings anymore.

Mika concentrated the wind chakra in her palms, causing the chakra to swirl violently in a tight small ball. She then ran to a log dummy, destroying it completely, sending splinters and chunks of wood everywhere.

When the smoke and sand cleared, Mika jumped Gaara, hugging him tightly, "Thank you thank you thank you! I never thought I'd learn it! And so quickly too! Thank you so much Gaara! I owe you!"

Gaara didn't really know what to do so he gradually just placed his hands on her waist and gently pushed her away from him.

That was when they heard a strange voice.

"Hey now! Don't feel put out because we're here! Go ahead and take her up on that debt little demon!"

Mika put her black under-shirt back on and effectively ignored the perverted man. Gaara, however, looked over at the elder man in confusion.

'_What does he mean by that?'_

The man seemed to catch Gaara's hesitation and shouted again, coming closer, "You know. . . Just fool around a bit. All you two have been doing is training. You two deserve to relax a bit, don't you?"

"Shut up, you pervert" Mika took Gaara's hand and started to lead him away from the growing crowd.

"Hah! That's it! Just go in an alley somewhere and fuck around! You caught a good one there you demonic little brat!"

Mika ignored the man's pestering, "Come on, Gaara. He's drunk. Let's just go back to your house."

Gaara let her pull him away, somewhat confused on the whole conversion.

"And you're just a masochistic little bitch to hang around someone like that fucking monster!"

Mika stopped and glanced behind her. Gaara was the first to recognize her golden glare.

"Mika." He warned, "Don't. Just ignore him."

Mika shook with fury and Gaara's eyes widened as her sealing bandages were starting to smoke.

"Mika!" he did the only thing he could think of. He slapped her across the face, jolting Mika out of her anger and stared shocked and scared at her friend.

She held her red cheek, "Gaara" she whimpered and the red-head suddenly felt guilty as he watched her run away on her own to the Subaku estate.

He sighed and slowly followed, ignoring the villager's frightened stares. They had noticed her eyes changing color and right then they knew.

Mika Uzumaki was a Jinchuriki as well.

(flashback)

Mika was five years old.

She ran through the village, trying to find her brother but she couldn't find him anywhere.

'_Brother! Where are you?!'_

The villagers glared daggers at her and Mika wasn't too sure of why.

She finally stopped in front of a ramen bar that read 'Ichiraku' and sat nearby the stand with her knees up to her chest.

People walked by and glared at her.

"Monster" she heard them muttering about her.

"Demon"

"Freak"

Mika felt the tears sting her eyes and she sat there in the dirt crying in fear.

'_Where's my brother? I miss my brother.'_

"Hey there little one." A kind voice reached out to her and Mika looked up to see a boy about eleven years old with another boy about her age. They both had black hair and looked eerily similar.

Mika buried her face in fear in her knees. The older boy chuckled.

"Sasuke, why don't you try talking to her?"

"Okay big brother! Hey you!" the smaller boy got on her level and tugged on her baggy shirt.

Mika flinched away in fear and Sasuke's eyes widened, "Why you crying?" he asked but Mika said nothing.

The older boy pat her head and thought quickly. She was sitting in front of the ramen bar and he had seen her looking at it long-fully for a while while him and Sasuke were on the other side of the market shopping for their mother, "If you tell us why you're crying, I'll buy you a bowl of ramen." He coaxed her and Mika raised her head carefully.

Her big blue eyes almost startled Sasuke and she whispered, "I can't find my brother. And the villagers won't help me. They don't like me and I don't know why."

Of course, Itachi knew why as he was a Chunin and knew of the nine-tailed fox demon that wreaked havoc on Konoha five years ago, October 10.

Itachi smiled, "Well don't worry little one. We'll find him. Come with us."

"Yeah!" Sasuke shouted and pulled Mika up with him, "We'll help you find your brother no problem! Come on! Then we can get some ramen!"

After spending an hour trying to find Naruto, Sasuke and Mika talked animatedly about being a ninja, their hobbies and their favorite foods. Of course Sasuke remembered that she was in his class but she was so quiet compared to her brother that no one hardly ever noticed her. Itachi smiled fondly at the two.

Finally, they found Naruto swinging on a swing set by himself.

"Brother!" Mika shouted excitedly.

She ran over to him and hugged him tightly, Naruto hugging back, clearly worried about where his sister had disappeared to.

"Mika! I thought you left me!"

Mika cried in his arms and buried her face in his orange hoodie, "Uh-uh! We stick together! Right?!"

Naruto grinned, "Yeah!"

Sasuke smiled at the now happy little girl and Itachi pat the children's heads, "Would you kids like some ramen now?"

The children all agreed excitedly as Itachi took them to Ichiraku's. Naruto didn't know who this man was neither did he really care. He was going to treat them all to ramen! He knew Sasuke from class but they never really met before. Itachi was one of the first people to not glare hatefully at the twins except for very few of villagers like the Nara family.

Of course there were many villagers who stared at Itachi as if he were insane.

"Why are the Uchiha's with those monsters?"

"Maybe the demon twins hypnotized them or something?"

"Those freaky beasts!"

Itachi turned and glared at the villagers, earning many frightened gasps and murmurs.

After that day, however, Mika and Naruto didn't associate with them anymore as Itachi and Sasuke were both in trouble with their father for being around the twin demon brats.

Since they were so young, the twins forgot all about who exactly Itachi was and began to focus on becoming great ninja who would be respected by the whole village.

Sasuke never forgot, however, Mika's pained face that day they first truly met. That pained face they began to share not even two years later.

(end of flashback)

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**R&R**


	2. Research

**I'm back. . . . Enjoy my new chapter. The adventure has truly begun now! **

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

(flashback)

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Mika ran until she finally found the Subaku estate and since no one was home yet and out training, she ran to her room with no problems.

'_How could Gaara just do that? Why did he slap me?'_

She held her burning cheek with a hand and ran some cold water in the sink of her bathroom, patting the forming bruise with a washcloth, hissing as it stung.

She didn't have to wait long until there was a knock on the door.

She knew who it was, "Go away!"

There was silence before the person on the other finally just broke inside and found her himself.

He stared guiltily as Mika was treating her new bruise, "Mika."

"Shut up Gaara. Go away and leave me alone" she barked at him but he went on.

"I'm sorry but it was the only way. You were starting to lose control of your anger again."

Mika stopped, "I was in control."

"No you weren't, Mika." Gaara interrupted and took the washcloth from her and led her down to the kitchen, "Your sealing bandages were smoking for one and your eyes changed to gold again."

Mika blushed as Gaara wrapped ice from a freezer in her washcloth and placed it gently on her cheek. Mika hissed again but sighed gratefully.

"Hmm. I didn't notice it. I'm sorry Gaara." She looked away from him as she held the ice filled cloth to her face on her own.

Gaara just stared at her, "Perhaps it's time for you to visit Suna's library. Reading for a while could relax you instead of training around the villagers."

Mika nodded, "Yeah. I need to find out exactly where I'm going anyway in the Land of Snow."

Gaara nodded, "Tomorrow then. Tonight, however, you will rest and keep ice on that bruise."

Mika smirked, "Look at you. Never thought the great Sand Jinchuriki would act like such a mother hen!"

He red head didn't respond to her humor and just left her in the kitchen.

"Nice Gaara!" she teases and ran after him. However, before she could catch up completely he shut his door to his room.

She knocked on the door, "Gaara! Hey come out! No one else is here yet and I'm bored!"

She heard a mumble from in the room, "Read a book"

She laughed, "Can't do that until tomorrow, raccoon boy"

She heard a sigh and Gaara opened his door, "And you think I'll be interesting enough for you?"

Mika smiled, "Of course! You're my best friend Gaara! Besides, I don't care if you're interesting or not as long as you like me for me"

Gaara felt his face grow warm and Mika giggled, "So you gonna let me in Gaara?"

The red head sighed and stepped away for her to come in. Mika was in awe at what she saw. The room was painted a simple tan sandy color and the floors were maroon colored. He had his own large king sized bed that looked like he never used and a large window from floor to ceiling that showed the village of Suna. It was beside the window that Mika found interesting though.

"What are these plants?"

Mika creeped closer, watchful of Gaara behind her as she investigated the weird plants.

"They're cacti. They grow here in the desert."

"Oh. They're pretty. I like them. What's this one? It's huge compared to the rest of them." Mika reached out to touch Gaara's newest cacti. It was the one he had bought from Ayaka over a month ago.

"It's called a Monvillea cactus."

"It's beautiful." Mika pet the soft fuzz on the plant and gently glided her hand on the purple and cream flower, "Where did you get it?"

Gaara came beside her and pulled her hand away from the cactus, "From a greenhouse nearby. Would. . . Would you like to come with me sometime?"

Mika lit up at the proposal, "Oh yes! That'll be so much fun! Could we go now!?"

Gaara looked a little irritated but slowly thought about it, _'The greenhouse doesn't close until 6pm. It's only 3pm now since we didn't go to Tagaya for lunch.'_

"I suppose we could"

"Yay! Let's go!" She grabbed his hand and Gaara was unprepared for the strength of Mika's grasp as she led him outside, "Which way?"

The red-head took his hand from her and started walking, only leaving Mika to run after him.

When they finally reached the greenhouse avoiding all of the weird looks, Gaara paused for a second.

"What's the matter Gaara?" Mika noticed his hesitation.

"Nothing" and he walked in with Mika close on his tail.

Mika breathed in the wonderful aroma that the flowers and cacti secreted and sighed, "This place is awesome. Do you come here often?"

Gaara didn't respond though and he cautiously looked around every corner as if looking for someone.

Mika didn't know who he was looking for but when she turned to look at a particular lily, an older female voice appeared out of nowhere.

"Good afternoon young lady what might I help you with today?"

"Ah!" Mika jumped up at the sudden appearance and Gaara ran over to her only to stop.

"Good afternoon Ayaka." He mumbled and the elder lady smiled wonderfully at him.

"Gaara!" she waved her hands and arms out and brought him in for a hug. Gaara tensed automatically but let her do as she wished.

"It's been a while lad" she spoke again, patting his arms lovingly, "Is this your new girlfriend?"

She turned to Mika but the two young teens blushed and looked away from each other. Mika giggled, "No mam. I'm his friend. I'm Mika from the village hidden in the Leaves. It's nice to meet you!"

She held out her hand but Ayaka hugged her forcefully as she did Gaara, "Oh! It's so good to meet the girl that changed Gaara so! I've never seen him so happy before until he came back from Konoha. I knew it was something to do with a girl!"

Mika blushed again and avoided Gaara's eyes.

Ayaka patted Mika's still sore cheek, "I'm Ayaka, dear, the owner of this greenhouse. Now what would you two be interested in looking at today? Cacti, Flowers, bouquets?"

Gaara spoke softly whist coughing a little, "We're just browsing Ayaka. Mika just wanted to visit to see what the greenhouse was like."

"Ah! Well if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know!" And with that, the elderly woman walked off, leaving the stunned teens to themselves.

Gaara sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Mika smiled, "See? You really are making friends here now aren't you Gaara?"

"Not very many"

"It's a start. It's enough and a few is all you need really"

"Not if I want to be Kazekage" he argued and Mika rolled her eyes.

"Then do something about it! Volunteer for something! Do some D rank missions or something."

Gaara wrinkled his nose and Mika slapped his arms earning her a shocked reaction.

Mika raised a brow at him and he sighed, "Fine. Tomorrow while you are at the library, I'll volunteer for a few D rank missions. Happy?"

The sly girl smirked and walked over to some herbs and bouquets to sniff with her high acute sense of smell. They smelt delicious.

It was about twenty minutes later when they decided to leave with nothing in hand but a free coupon buy one get one free cacti. Mika gave hers to Gaara, who was pretty pleased on the inside.

On their walk back to the Subaku estate, many villagers watched them cautiously as if waiting for a bomb to go off. Mika unconsciously clenched her fists.

When they entered Gaara's home, Temari and Kankuro were in the kitchen, heating up some leftover soup and vegetables that Mika had helped Temari make the night before.

"Hey guys!" Temari noticed them and offered some soup which Mika gratefully took and started to eat at the table while Gaara sat at the table and quietly spooned some soup into his mouth, not making a sound while Mika slurped noisily and messily.

To Gaara's siblings, they couldn't be a better match.

"So little brother" Knakuro cooed to Gaara, "What's this I hear about you and Mika ditching Tagaya to go to the greenhouse?"

Temari sprayed out some soup from her mouth, "What?! No wonder he's eating the soup! He didn't eat yet! Why did you two not go to Tagaya's?"

Mika slurped her soup, "We had a little incident today is all. Nothing major."

"Incident?" Kankuro raised an eyebrow and turned to Gaara for an explanation, "What kind of incident?"

Gaara finished his soup, "Mika started losing control of her anger in front of the villagers so I had to hit her to get her to calm. Then she ran from me."

"Gaara! How could you hit her?!" Temari launched herself to Mika, "Is that what that red mark is from?"

Mika blushed, "Yes but it was my fault for losing control. Gaara just helped me the most effective way that he could."

Temari snarled, "Gaara, I swear! If you ever hit her again, I'll disown you as my brother and make Baki adopt you!"

Gaara paled slightly, "Then I'll kill you."

He stood up to go to his room, leaving Mika, Kankuro and Temari alone in the kitchen with smirks. Mika smiled at his behavior.

'_I guess that's is way of arguing with his siblings still' _

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The next day Gaara led her to the library. They went inside, both a little unsure of where to go.

Mika spoke up, "I guess I'll head to the myths and legends department first. I'll see you later at Tagaya's for dinner at 4pm, okay?"

Gaara merely nodded and left for his five D ranked missions. He had shown Mika his missions with anguish as she laughed hysterically at what the psychotic red-headed Jinchuriki had to do.

First he had to find an old lady's pet lizard that had disappeared somewhere in Suna.

Second, he had to clean someone's house spotless before noon.

Third, he had to clean a herd of camels and groom them to perfection.

Fourth he had to water all of the plants in Ayaka's greenhouse and make sure they are all properly positioned.

And lastly he had to babysit a six year old little hellion of a boy from noon until four.

Today was not going to be an easy day for either of them.

Mika walked to myths and legends and found at least twenty books on the subject which she narrowed down to eight that held legends in the different nations.

However, she got nowhere with most of them until she narrowed them down to beasts. That only left two books.

"Hmm" Mika hummed as she skimmed the introductory of each book. On the first one, she saw a subject in the book introductory called, 'Beasts of the wild.'

She looked into it but found nothing about the Land of Snow so she went to the last book that remained until she noticed the time. It was noon already and she smirked.

'_I wonder how Gaara's doing?'_

In fact Gaara felt that he was in hell. He arrived to the house he was supposed to be at to babysit a brat from noon until four. He had already finished the other missions, using his third eye to find the lizard, his sand to clean the camels and house and lastly he merely just enjoyed helping taking care of Ayaka's cacti.

He knocked on the door reluctantly and waited for what seemed like hours until a woman finally answered the door with a six year old boy holding on to her leg.

"Oh thank god! A genin! Good luck with him!" With that, she ran out, shaking the boy off of her, leaving Gaara with the brat alone.

The boy looked up at Gaara in curiosity, "Who are you?"

Gaara blinked, "Gaara"

The boy blinked, "What we gonna do?"

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow in confusion.

'_What are we going to do?' _he thought.

Back with Mika, she came to her last chance.

She opened the ancient book and looked through the introductory, pleasantly surprised at the contents.

"Beasts of the Five great Nations, Demons, and Myths of the forests"

She went to the directed page and her mouth dropped.

The pages were ripped out.

"What the hell?"

In fact, the only thing that was in its place was a map and she unfolded it carefully, reading the title.

"The Land of Snow!" she exclaimed quietly in the library, "This is it! Now I just have to go through a few villages in the Land of Snow and maybe they'll know and tell me where the temple is."

She sighed_, 'Oh I wish you could talk back to me Okami. That way I'll really know if I'm on the right track or not'_

However, inside her mind, Okami was wagging his eleven tails enthusiastically, "**That's it pup! You're nearly there! You just have to cross through the villages and go into the mountains."**

Okami growled, **"I only hope that sister will help you when you get close enough"**

After a few more hours of planning and measuring the distance on how to get there, Mika finally figured out where to go. She just had to tell Gaara and prepare to leave next week.

Mika stuffed the map into her baggy pocket and left the library for Tagaya's to wait for Gaara.

Meanwhile with Gaara, he was not having any trouble at all at controlling the little beast he was forced to babysit.

The little brat was currently trying to catch the sand that Gaara was purposely floating around for the kid. The boy, whose name was Haru, happily tried to catch the floating ball of sand around the air. In truth, Gaara would be lying if he said it was horrible. The kid wasn't that bad, it was just that he wanted some attention and something to play with that would hold his amusement. Gaara was standing leaning by the door, waiting for the boy's mother to return. While he was waiting, the emotionless red head let a smirk cross his features.

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Mika waited for Gaara by Tagaya, trying to ignore the glares she was receiving from the villagers but she failed as one villager dared to walk up to her.

"Hey you little bitch!" The man was older and had long sandy blonde hair and dark eyes. He also had a scar on his cheek. Mika backed away from him a little.

"What do you want?" it was all she could do to control herself.

The man and two others behind him scowled at her, "You're a Jinchuriki aren't you?! That's why that other demon brat keeps following you around isn't it? You in heat or something? That why he's so interested in you?!"

The man and his groupies laughed heartily and a few others smirked, stopping to watch the scene.

Mika just looked away, "Gaara's my friend."

The blonde man bellowed with laughter, "Friend?! That little bastard has no friends!"

"I'm his friend and if you dare to say otherwise, we're going to have a problem."

They turned serious, "We already have a problem. We don't want another Demon in our village."

Mika narrowed her eyes, realizing where this was going, "The Kazekage knows what I am, and is permitting my stay here. Are you going to argue with that?"

The man cracked his knuckles but the two others behind him looked unsure, "Uhh hey Michi, are you sure we should be doing this? What if she kills us?"

"Oh shut up!" Michi shouted at them, "You guys are too soft! We should all just make her leave! She shouldn't be here, she doesn't belong!"

Another voice shouted out, "Yeah! Who needs another freak?!"

"Yeah!" others started agreeing and Mika began to get worried.

'_This isn't good. Gaara, you better hurry'_

Michi, the ring leader stomped over to her and hit her across the face over Gaara's previous slap from the day before.

Mika flinched back but held her anger in, not wanting to hurt anyone.

"Get out!" Michi yelled in her face, spitting on her.

Mika shook her head, "I have a right to be here" but she was stopped when Michi slapped her again.

'_You should just kill them.'_ A voice in her head spoke, _'Then that would teach them. Teach them all'_

'_Who are you?_' Mika asked the voice.

'_Let it all out'_ the voice spoke again, _'They deserve your anger. They need to fear you.'_

Mika grabbed her head, knowing it wasn't Okami. But who was it? A different force? A demon?

'_I'm you, Mika. I'm your anger'_

Mika growled as Michi grabbed her shirt collar and started pummeling her with kicks and punches, not paying attention as the bandages on her started to smoke and sizzle.

'_Come on now. Just a little more. Let it go. Just let it go.'_

'_No. I can't!'_

'_Kill them all'_

Mika's eyes widened as the voice in her head took over and her eyes opened golden, her hair turning white and her skin getting paler by the second. Michi let her go suddenly, fear all over his features.

"What" he shivered, "What are you?!"

Mika's transformation was finished and she smirked at him, "**I'm your death."**

Mika now sported white spiky hair, pale skin, and golden eyes. She was surrounded by black chakra.

Michi and the other villagers around looked fearfully at her as she prowled to Michi, "**What's the matter, Michi? You afraid of me?"**

Michi closed his eyes as Mika raised her chakra filled hand that held a black and spastically Chidori.

She launched the attack only for it to be blocked in front of Michi by sand.

"Mika! That's enough!" Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand.

'Mika' just laughed at him, **"You. No. I'll have had enough when they're all dead!"**

She raised her hand again this time sporting a black Rasengan and ran towards Gaara with such speed that Gaara barely had enough time to dodge.

'_This isn't Mika'_ Gaara thought, '_This thing is too bloodthirsty to be her.'_

Mika cackled and tried to launch another Chidori at a villager when Gaara stopped her with his sand again, "No!"

He wrapped her in his sand to trap her, "That's enough!"

He squeezed her tightly in his sand, trying to knock some sense into the girl, "This isn't you! Knock it off already and control yourself Mika!"

Mika smirked, "**Heheheheheh . . . I'll be out again soon enough."**

With that, Mika's hair faded to reddish-brown again, her eyes going blue and her skin healthy again.

Mika was still being squeezed though and gasped, "G-gaara"

She fainted but Gaara released the sand, letting her go before carefully going up to her to make sure the threat was gone. When he prodded her shoulder, he knew then that she was knocked out effectively.

Gaara sighed as the villagers around him gazed in awe.

He had saved them all.

Was he a hero?

He wasn't just a demon brat?

He really changed?

Gaara picked Mika up in his arms and carried her to the infirmary.

(flashback)

It was after the fight with Gaara after the Chunin Exams and the death of the third Hokage.

Mika was sitting in front of Kakashi in her and Naruto's kitchen. Naruto was currently training with Sasuke and Sakura was helping Ino in the flower shop. Kakashi stood over Mika with a somber look on his face.

"Mika, do you understand?"

The girl bowed her head, "Yes Sensei, I understand"

Kakashi sighed, "It really isn't fair I know but you have to lie to them just this once."

"But sensei!" Mika bolted up from her kitchen chair," I've lied constantly to my brother already! Can't I tell just him?"

"No" Kakashi seemed very serious, "And calm down. Your temper is very dangerous now remember?"

Mika slumped back down on her chair, "I know. It's just that what if something happens?"

Kakashi sipped some tea that Mika had brewed for him, "Like what?"

She closed her eyes, "What if I lose control and I hurt one of my friends in the process? What then? Then they'll know for sure that what I told them was a lie"

Kakashi sighed again, "That's the chance you take to protect them, Mika. They can't know. It'll only bring up more questions and then those questions will be directed to Naruto as well. Do you really want that?"

Mika growled but contained herself, "No."

Kakashi ruffled Mika's hair, "Don't worry Mika. I know you'll do fine. I know you'll do whatever it takes to protect your friends, most of all, your brother. Right?"

Mika smiled, "Right."

Kakashi smiled and that's how Naruto and Sasuke walked in interrupting the teacher-student bonding.

"Oh." Kakashi spoke, "You two are done early"

Sasuke glared suspiciously at how close Kakashi was to Mika but Naruto just grinned, "We're done early cause I kicked his butt!"

Sasuke glared, "Shut it idiot, you did not!"

Naruto smiled, "Did too!"

"Did not!"

Mika grinned, "Okay, did not" Mika spoke to Sasuke, "Would you like to stay for dinner tonight? We could invite Sakura as well too I guess and have dinner here as a team!"

Naruto licked his lips, "Oh yeah! That's sounds awesome! What we having?!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Moron"

"Ramen of course with some fresh green beans and apricots I bought from the market yesterday"

Naruto's grin fell, "Ew. Gross. Vegetables?!"

Mika smiled at Sasuke, "Of course I bought a few tomatoes for you too, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes lit up with some emotion and smirked, "Alright. Fine."

Later that evening, the apartment seemed so crowded with the whole team there but they made it work.

Kakashi actually stayed as well, probably to make sure that Mika told them.

Sakura was the first to speak, "So why the sudden invitation Mika?"

Mika shrugged her shoulders but Kakashi glared at her.

She sighed, "Well the thing is, you remember in the final Chunin Exam when I blacked out and puked out blood?"

"EW! We're still eating Mika!" Sakura yelled but others merely waited for Mika's explanation.

"Well. . . It's because I was diagnosed with a weird medical thingy. It affects my body by blood pressure and shit. So if I get too emotional or something like too angry then I'll have another attack like that one."

The team in front of her sweat-dropped and Kakashi looked as if he wanted to smack her for her lack of proper wording.

"Medical thingy" Sakura asked, "Really?"

Mika nodded and Naruto finally asked, "Are you going to die?"

"I could if I get too upset I guess"

Naruto blanched and shouted, "Oh My God! What the hell!? Is there a cure?!"

"Sure" Mika smiled, "I just have to not get upset."

The group calmed slightly but Sasuke spoke up, "How can you do missions then and run if it is affected by your blood pressure?"

"Good point" she mumbled.

"What?" they asked but Mika just grinned.

"Nothing. But that's that so everyone finish eating and leave. Kay?"

'_They can never know. Not even Naruto. Oh what Am I going to do? What if something happens I can't control? What if I do something terrible?'_

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**R&R**


	3. She'll be fine

**The journey begins along with many flashbacks and explanations of the past!**

**A few questions you should be asking yourself: **

**-**_**What happened to Kiba and Mika's relationship? Are they friends or did something else happen?**_

_**-How will Naruto react to his sister being cast out of Suna?**_

_**-How long will Mika's journey be?**_

**Well, here we go and I hope more people start reading this story as well, that would be nice lol**

"Talking"

'_thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

(flashbacks)

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Mika watched as the black wolf stared at her in her mind.

"I know who you are now." Mika told her.

The black she-wolf with twelve individual tails tilted her head at Mika.

Mika smiled, "You are Okami's sister, right? In the Land of Snow?"

The black wolf bowed her head, **"Yes."**

"Can. . ." Mika hesitated, "Can you tell me exactly where the temple is?"

The black wolf gazed warmly at her**, "No. You should go now. He's expecting you to wake up."**

"Who?"

But the wolf had already disappeared.

Mika sighed as she opened her eyes again to be in Suna's hospital.

"Mmg" she mumbled and started to sit up when she felt something holding her down. Mika began to panic and she looked down to see that she had restraints on her holding her to the bed.

"What the fuck?!"

"They're restraints" Mika snapped over to see Gaara sitting by her bed quietly.

"Gaara." She hissed, "Why are these on me?! What's going on?!"

Gaara just watched her and sighed reluctantly, "The Kazekage has dubbed you unfit to be here."

Mika rested her head on the pillow harshly, "What do you mean? What did I do?!"

Her red-haired friend narrowed his eyes at her, "You don't remember?"

"No." Mika thought about it, "Wait. I do remember something. A voice" she gulped, "A voice telling me to kill them but it wasn't Okami."

'Unsettling' Gaara thought looking away for a second.

Gaara studied her, "It wasn't your demon? But how is that possible? Is that all you remember?"

Mika nodded, "Yes. What did I do Gaara?"

The red-head placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, you weren't able to hurt anyone. I stopped you in time. But you could have easily murdered many if I were a second too late."

Mika breathed out in horror, "Oh God" she closed her eyes and bit her lip until Gaara pinched her.

"Ow! What the hell was that for, Gaara?!" she flinched in her restraints.

"You know I hate it when you bite your lip. Did you find anything in the library?"

She nodded, still feeling the light throbbing in her arm where Gaara had pinched her, "A map."

Gaara nodded as well, "The temporary Kazekage will be here shortly to sentence you to exile. You will no longer be welcome in Suna. He's planning on throwing you out in the desert with no food or water. Not even ration pellets or a map."

Mika shuddered, "Does Konoha know? What about Temari and Kankuro?"

He shook his head, "No. The Kazekage plans on keeping this a secret and the Kazekage wishes no one else to know, however I will be telling my siblings anyway and send a discreet letter to your Hokage."

"Well then what do we do?-"

"Alright! Where is that little monster?!" The man she met on her first day in Suna burst in flanked by two Anbu officers.

The Kazekage set his eyes on her and marched up, "You are in major trouble, little girl. You've just committed suicide."

Mika rolled her eyes at him and addressed Gaara, "How long was I out?"

"About twenty hours or so"

"Ah so it's about . . . noon?"

"Yes"

"Stop ignoring me!" the elder screamed at them, "Mika Uzumaki! You are hereby exiled from Suna with no food and water!"

"I know. I figured that I mean" Mika was just trying to mess with the man now since she didn't like him. He was going to banish her after all. She could be snarky and rude now right?

Gaara looked halfway amused with a small smirk on his face hidden by his hands cupped in front of his face.

"Oh really? Then I suppose you already knew that it's a two day journey out of the desert walking and there is a sand storm approaching. A ninja can survive without food and water for three days but what if the sand storm changes your course? Hmm?"

Mika glared at him as the Anbu approached her and took off her restraints, cuffing her instead to escort her out of Suna. Gaara followed closely behind her.

When they reached outside the gates, the Anbu took off her cuffs.

Gaara, however, wanted to wish her luck, "Lord Kazekage, would it be alright if I gave her a farewell hug? She's my friend, after all"

The elder man huffed but hissed reluctantly, "Oh fine!"

Gaara walked up to her and slowly placed his hands around her waist. Mika was surprised but calmed once she felt him put something in her back pants pockets. He carefully unwrapped himself from her and gave her a knowing look. Mika nodded, "I'll see you sometime, okay Gaara?"

Gaara nodded, "You have to find the temple. I know you can do it. You can control this. . . rage inside of you. One day."

Mika nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder even though he was three inches taller than her, "Thanks. For everything."

With that, Mika turned away and started walking. Gaara had made sure, however that the things he put in her pockets did not show. As soon as she was out of sight, she reached in her back pockets and took out whatever it was that Gaara had given her.

She gasped.

Inside her pockets were a compass, a canteen of water, ration pellets and her map she had snagged from the library.

"Gaara ,you truly are a great friend."

With one last sigh, Mika put everything but the compass and map in her front pants pocket and opened the map.

"Alright. So the quickest way is to get through the Valley village, go through the Land of Fire and then through the Hot springs before I get to the Land of Snow. I remember though an ocean view by the temple in my dreams. The temple must be close to the coast of the Land of Snow by the mountains then."

She knew she was just talking to herself but she had to unless she wanted to feel alone. She knew if she talked to Okami, something bad would happen again with using his dark chakra. She might lose her only supplies that Gaara had risked to give her.

It was getting hot and she knew she had to do something. It was only one in the afternoon after all and she had a long trip ahead of her. A week worth of traveling by foot to be exact.

Mika took off her green and blue jacket and tied it around her head to protect her scalp and face from the sun.

That's when she saw it.

A huge wall of sand was slowly making its way towards her and Suna behind her. She gulped. The sand storm was huge and she had no choice but to go through it.

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"What do you mean she's gone?!" Temari yelled at Gaara.

The red head told them everything and his siblings weren't happy at all.

"Yeah, there's a fucking sand storm coming! She could get killed and why are you so calm about this Gaara?!" Kankuro took his turn.

Gaara wasn't one to show emotion but he had an excuse this time, "She'll be fine."

"She has no food, water or even a map to go by you numbskull!" Temari shouted and got in his person space.

Gaara snarled a little, "She'll be fine. I snuck some ration pellets, a canteen and a map in her back pants pockets in the guise of a hug so the Kazekage wouldn't know."

Silence.

"Wait" Kankuro stopped, "You mean you put your hands in her butt pockets in her pants?! You sly dog you! You groped her butt with an excuse!"

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow and looked to Temari with the question written on his face.

Temari sighed, "Kankuro, you know Gaara isn't like that! The day Gaara gropes any woman is the day hell freezes over and you stop wearing make-up! Don't worry Gaara, Kankuro is just being immature."

"It's not make-up!"

But Kankuro was ignored.

Temari pat her littlest brother's shoulder, "I'm proud of you Gaara. You're right. She'll be fine."

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"I'm gonna fucking die!" Mika shouted to no one as the sand storm was still wreaking havoc outside She had found shelter by a nearby cave and huddled in the back but watching carefully if the sand managed to block her in.

It was already five hours after the storm started and she was bored to death so she started practicing her Rasengan.

"Ugh" she groaned, "It kinda looks like Naruto's now I guess. Better than before though, that's for sure."

She stopped and got out her map again, "This is gonna be a long trip. I wonder how Naruto's doing and when he's gonna leave with Jiraiya? How is everyone? Sakura, Lee, Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji. . . . Kiba?"

The last time she saw Kiba, she knew she broke his heart.

She knew he liked her but she just wasn't ready for something like he was willing to offer her.

The last time she saw him was when they were all trying to get Sasuke back.

Mika's eyes narrowed with sorrow as she thought about her friends. None of them really know what she's doing or where she's going.

From now on, she was alone.

'_Well except for the voice in my head from earlier'_ Mika thought with a humorless smile on her face.

(flashback)

A week after the Chunin Exam battle.

"Hey Mika, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the dango shop with me?"

Mika turned around and smiled at her canine loving friend, "Sorry Kiba but I'm gonna train with Sasuke today."

Kiba pulled a face and Akamaru whined, "What?! You're always around him now! It's like he's your boyfriend or something."

Mika shrugged, "He's my teammate."

Kiba stopped her before she could walk away, "Mika, I'm worried about you. What if he hurts you? I heard what happened last week in the training grounds. He tried to suffocate you. You really feel comfortable with him?"

Mika's eyes widened at the memory, "I didn't listen to him when he said Gaara was a bad person. Sasuke was right about him and I deserved it."

Kiba's mouth dropped and he grabbed her shoulders, "Don't you ever say that again Mika! You didn't deserve anything he did to you!"

She swat his hand off of her, "Look, Kiba. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Kiba and Akamaru growled in frustration, "God dammit Mika! I fucking love you and you won't even give me a chance!"

Mika stopped in her tracks, "W-what?"

The boy was getting desperate, "You heard me. I fucking love you. I don't want you to make the wrong decision here. I'll protect you. Please . . . just. . . be with me."

Mika looked dumbfounded for a few more moments.

'_I never knew he thought this way about me. But do I like him like that? Is he someone I would fall for?'_

Kiba tried to touch Mika's cheek, "Please"

She recoiled away, "Kiba. I'm sorry but. . . I don't think I-" she hesitated.

"Don't think you what?"

"I don't like you that way. You're my friend, Kiba"

The look on her friend's face, however, said anything but acceptance, "Come on" he tried to prod her, "I think we're more than that"

"I disagree Kiba. I think you should go home or ask someone else to go with you to the dango shop. I'll see you around. You too, Akamaru"

With that, Mika left a heartbroken Kiba and a whining Akamaru behind her.

(End of Flashback)

Mika sighed in the cave she sat in, "I shouldn't have been so hard on him."

She then noticed something different.

Silence.

Mika got up and looked outside.

"Looks like the storm's over." She gathered her things and set off again out into the desert.

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Gaara stood in front of a class of children with his siblings the next day.

It had been a busy day after Mika was forced out of Suna. Gaara had sent his letter about Mika's situation to the Hokage via the fastest hawk in Suna. Once the Hawk reached Konoha twelve hours later, the Hokage was furious and demanded that another Kazekage be put in control.

However, something even better happened.

Suna agreed to order the Kazekage stand down and so the council took over until another Kazekage be appointed.

Now it was the next day after that and the Jounin council ordered that more shinobi be trained so they picked the three strongest sand ninja in the village to mentor them.

Temari, Kankuro and Gaara.

The class of newly graduated genin stared at their potential mentors in awe. Many were watching Kankuro and Temari in fascination but they also looked at Gaara with fear. Their parents had warned them to keep away from him.

However, there was one girl that had no parents to tell her who to stay away from.

She had no friends, she was pretty but not beautiful, sporting plain short and flat brown hair and buggy eyes.

She feared weapons dreadfully.

So how would she even be able to be a ninja?

The students were whispering about Gaara and that's all he could pay any attention to. He didn't even notice that his sister was talking to them.

"Geez, Gaara, at least smile a little. Do you want them to fear you?"

Gaara straightened when he noticed that she was talking to her and he wrinkled his nose a bit.

In truth, he really didn't want to be a sensei but he didn't have a choice.

Hopefully none of the genin would pick him as their mentor.

"Now then, all of you please pick one of us to be your mentor and then choose a weapon that will suit you in both mind and physical attributes."

One girl, however, rose her hand, "Uh, is it really necessary to pick a weapon? If we all have a weapons, isn't there a chance of us hurting or killing each other?"

The three sand siblings and the rest of the Genin looked shocked.

"Uh!" Temari grunted, "More talk like that and you'll surely die out in the field by an enemy ninja."

Kankuro joined in, "Yeah, without a weapon, you'll be dead within seconds, kid."

"I'm sorry" the girl deflated immediately.

'_Should I say something too?'_ Gaara thought.

"A weapon is like. . ." he stopped, noticing with shock as the girl's attention was raptly focused solely on him.

'_Why is she staring at me like that? It's weird.'_

"Never mind. Forget it."

Temari and Kankuro's shoulders slacked, '_Oh Gaara'_ they both sighed, '_Socially awkward as usual'_

The girl looked disappointed but another boy whispered to her. Gaara heard his name involved and he sighed inwardly.

'_Maybe I should have said something.' _

"Alright! Everyone now come forward and choose your sensei and a weapon!" Temari shouted to them, regaining their attention.

Immediately, half of the students went to Temari and half went to Kankuro. However, the girl who spoke out stayed in place, watching Gaara.

'_Stop staring at me'_ Gaara pleaded in his mind_, 'I get stared at enough as it is'_

The girl walked over to him with shyness.

'_Oh god'_ Gaara thought_, 'Is she really? Does she really? Want me as her sensei?'_

"Excuse me sir" she spoke and Gaara stiffened, "Will you be my sensei?"

'_Holy fuck'_ Gaara stopped his thoughts, '_Damn. Now Mika's profanity has rubbed off on me, even if I'm not speaking out loud.'_

"Are you sure?" he asked.

The girl turned confident, "Please teach me"

'_This feeling. It's like I'm light filled with air. But my heart feels full. This must be what it feels like to be accepted.'_

"Very well" he nodded, "What is your name?"

The girl gulped, "Matsuri"

"Matsuri" he repeated, "Choose a weapon"

Matsuri looked before her on the wooden table, There were three weapons. A club, sword and then a Jouhyou.

However, when the girl named Matsuri saw the sword, her eyes held an abundance of fear.

So instead, she reached out for the Jouhyou

"What's the matter?" Gaara asked her, shocking her out of her memories. Matsuri let out a surprised yelp and grabbed the club.

Gaara almost felt amused, _'The club? Is she joking?'_

"Alright. Now try and attack me with it. Like you want to kill me."

"Right!" Matsuri tried to attack but fell backwards, the weight of the club being too much for her to handle.

Gaara sighed, "There is a phrase 'Demons with clubs'. It does not apply to you."

"Yes sir" Matsuri seemed humiliated, "What would you recommend for me?"

Gaara stepped towards the table and examined.

'_She seemed too afraid of the sword. The Jouhyou will be perfect'_

He picked it up in his hand.

"This weapon is called the Jouhyou."

She looked confused so Gaara decided that it would be best to show her instead of talking about it. He leapt in the open space in the courtyard and twirled around the rope part that held the dagger at the end, "The dagger at the end of the rope are not used so much for offense, but for defense. To prevent the enemy from getting too close. And then with that rope, you can render the enemy unable to attack!"

Gaara flung the Jouhyou to a log sticking up and let the dagger and rope twirl around it, capturing it in an effective snag.

"Practice with this weapon until it feels like an extension of your body."

Matsuri nodded, "Yes sir."

Gaara stood back as Matsuri practiced in front of him. Her first try, she flung the rope out to the stump log but the dagger deflected itself and landed in front of her, bringing back more memories of the tragedy in her childhood.

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow and grabbed the dagger from the ground, "What's wrong?"

Matsuri gasped, "My parents were murdered by many different weapons in front of me. That's why I. . .I"

Gaara understood now though, _'She's afraid of the very weapons that were used to kill her parents. At least it wasn't me that killed them. Then we'd have a problem.'_

He looked away from her, "Then what is your purpose for wielding a weapon? For becoming a shinobi?"

Matsuri looked at him with more confusion so he explained, "I remember. . .the words of a shinobi that I once fought not too long ago. I asked him what they meant to him. The people he was protecting from me. He told me. . ." he hesitated, "He told me that they were his friends. That if I harmed them anymore he'd beat me with all he had."

He closed his eyes to remember Mika and how he had betrayed her, "His sister was the same way. That's the day everything changed for me"

With that, he turned and left Matsuri to her own thought, to think about what he had said.

He walked off with thoughts racing in his mind_, 'Mika. . . I hope you're alright. I don't know why I'm so anxious though. I've never felt like this before. So why now?'_

He wasn't paying attention but soon he came up to where his older siblings were on the ground with a sand guard. When the guard saw him, his eyes looked guilty.

'_What's going on?'_

"Gaara!" Temari seemed relieved, "Thank goodness, we were just going to come to get you!"

"What happened?" he asked.

Kankuro spoke up, "The patrol ninja were attacked."

The guard took this as a sign to rely his message, "A group using strange weapons calling themselves the Celestial four wanted me to tell Gaara. . .'We who are the ultimate weapons announce our challenge to you. If you do not accept, then every day we will continue to take somebody close to you until everyone you care about is gone until you respond.'"

Gaara actually looked a little worried, _'If they have infiltrated Suna then that means that they've already found me . . . Matsuri is in danger'_

Gaara took off, leaving his siblings to run after him. When they reached the courtyard, Matsuri was gone but the Jouhyou was pointed somewhere on the ground. Temari made a move to grab it but Gaara stopped her, "The enemy is moving Northeast."

"Matsuri is the first sacrifice then" Kankuro hummed and Temari growled.

"But their real target is you, Gaara. We must take tis to the Jounin Council."

Gaara almost had the urge to roll his eyes like Mika would.

They went to the council to report the problem but it was a wasted effort as the council only wanted Gaara, Temari and Kankuro to go after them and they'd send a hawk to Konoha for help.

Gaara walked out of the Kazekage building with fury in his eyes, '_Idiots'_

So the sand siblings set off for the Celestial Four, running through the woods on the branches at a fast pace.

Very soon, they were able to catch up to the enemy and Gaara saw Matsuri in a cocoon-like body wooden wrap on someone's back.

However, the enemy was rushing faster and they were very soon out of range before they stopped and waited for the sand siblings. However, the siblings didn't have to run anymore as a blast of wind hit them. Temari, however, was ready and brought out her fan to stop it and waved more wind towards the enemy to use their own attack against them.

Gaara watched as his sister antagonized the other female enemy.

"You guys go on ahead. I got this."

"Are you sure?" Gaara asked but regretted it as his sister went off on him.

"Of course! What do you take me for?!"

They nodded and set off for the other enemies holding Matsuri.

However, once again, they were stopped by a boy with a strange blue sword-like weapon that pieces of the sword were connected by a wire, letting the weapon outstretch to the enemy.

"Let me take this guy Gaara. Go save your student"

Gaara was surprised but nodded, running after the enemy once more but by himself this time.

However, it wasn't long before he was stopped once more by a large man with strange armor, _'Alright this is it. I've had enough'_

The large man smirked, "This is as far as you go, Gaara"

Gaara glared at him, "Alright. Come at me then."

Gaara crossed his arms as he let the sand from his gourd come out.

Gaara growled and his sand acted accordingly, swirling around him in a circle to protect him as the larger man twirled around a strange weapon that wore a spiked club at the end of a chain. The man tossed the club at Gaara, but the sand protected him.

"Pretty good, kid" the man snarled, "I wonder how much chakra is in that sand, though."

"Do you want to find out?" Gaara narrowed his eyes, "However, it will be an exchange for your life!"

His sand swarmed around the man, trapping him and Gaara shouted, "Sand Coffin!"

But it didn't work and the sand slid right off of him, his armor glowing red "Ha! Too bad for you kid but my Armor absorbs chakra! You're finished!"

The man sent the spiked club at him again only for the sand to protect him. But that alone, was a hindrance as the club absorbed his chakra through his sand once more. However Gaara sent a different strand of Sand towards the man as offense. Gaara made a small platform below him made of sand rise, extending the chain length with height and pulling the man up in the air with him.

Then using the strand of sand that he held the man by, Gaara twirl him around like the Jouhyou or a ceiling fan.

Finally however, Gaara let go of the man with his sand, sending him flying off.

Gaara stood there looking towards the direction he went but soon noticed something off.

Suddenly, three different paths of chakra collided together where he was, water forming and swirling up to Gaara, weakening his sand.

'_Shit!'_ he thought.

The water formed into a water dragon and knocked him off the platform, causing his sand armor to crust of as he fell.

With the sand being so heavy, he hit the ground hard and fast. The larger man finally got up to him and laughed, "Huh! How funny of you to land on sand! As expected of Gaara of the desert."

Gaara could barely lift his head but he growled menacingly at his enemy. He tried to attack but the sand was too weak. The man rushed to attack Gaara.

'I'm sorry Matsuri. I failed."

But the man was stopped by a foot.

Rock Lee!

The bushy browed kid smirked at Gaara, "The hero always arrives late do they not?"

Then another ninja appeared and knocked the man down from behind, "That's right!"

'_Naruto Uzumaki! Dammit. Does he know about Mika's situation? That she was kicked out of Suna into the desert? Or did Tsunade not tell him?'_ Gaara wondered but wasn't in a hurry to find out.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted to Gaara, "Sorry we made you wait Gaara! You guys were there for us on the Sasuke mission so now we're here to return the favor! Now go hurry to your student!"

Gaara tried to stand up but fell once more, only to be caught by Lee, "For you to have been this run down. . ."

"Lee!" another voice rang out and caused Gaara a headache.

"Sakura!" Lee shouted in enthusiasm.

"Lee, leave Gaara's care to me."

Gaara remembered this girl but wasn't too bothered to acknowledge that he did. The last time he met with her, he almost killed her in the battle with Naruto. Of course after that he had seen her on the joint mission.

They were speaking but Gaara was too disoriented to pay any attention until he noticed that the girl named Sakura, Mika's teammate, was healing him with medical ninjutsu.

Lee went at the enemy, "Be careful!" he called out, "His armor absorbs chakra!"

Lee and Naruto kept fighting while Sakura almost completely healed him. He felt better but his chakra was still really low. Strangely, a message was written in the air, "A message from your friends?" he asked and Sakura looked worried.

"Ino's hurt!"

"Go. I'm fine now. Go help your friend."

Sakura nodded, "Don't overdo it."

Gaara merely nodded as she ran off in another direction.

Gaara walked over to Naruto while Lee was still fighting the strange armored man. Naruto noticed him, "What are you doing?! Go help your friend!"

Gaara just crossed his arms, "I will save my friend. But I'll finish this quickly."

"But!"

Gaara just walked over to the enemy, '_I've had it with these bastards.'_

"Heh!"The man laughed, "You have no more sand left that you can use!"

Gaara held out his hand and broke his own armor. The three were all shocked to see this.

Lee gasped, "By breaking down his own sand armor. . ."

The enemy choked, "By using the moisture left inside the sand, if I can soak up the chakra. . ."

But it was too late.

Gaara stopped and made a plain spear out of his sand, "This is my weapon." He sent it soaring towards him, spearing him through the chest. The man fell and Gaara was about to finish t when he collapsed as well a little. Naruto rushed to his aid but Gaara growled, "I can finish it."

A scream suddenly split through the air, "Gaara sensei!"

'_Matsuri!'_

"Go save your student. We got this guy now."

Gaara nodded and ran towards his new pupil's scream.

He ran until he finally cornered the main enemy into a clearing that was blocked by a cliff wall.

He took out the Jouhyou and gripped it, following the enemy where he stopped.

"This is as far as you go. Give her back."

The man smirked, "You think you got me cornered?"

Gaara just stared at him, waiting for his move.

"You're the one who's cornered my friend. Although you are called the ultimate weapon, didn't you use up all of your sand back there?"

'_Dammit. He's right.'_

"No matter what kind of technique you use, I won't lose a one-on-one battle." Gaara spoke out confidently but the man just laughed.

"You're unarmed. I'm not afraid of you." He dropped Matsuri off his back and raised his sword, calling forth all his fallen ally's weapons and armor, placing them all on himself.

"Let's see what you got now!" he used the swords to blast a wind tornado towards Gaara but the red head dodged it by going underground with the sand beneath him.

He popped out above ground when the tornado passed him but the enemy wasn't too happy, sending the blue wire-used swords on his back at him, making a direct hit.

'_Damn! I've lost too much chakra!'_

The enemy chuckled, "There's a monster in your body right? Why don't you use Shukaku's chakra?"

But Gaara had no time to reply when the man sent the blue swords at him again, Gaara barely able to dodge. He didn't even notice that Naruto had arrived and was trying to break Matsuri out of the wooden cocoon.

Gaara tripped and fell against the cliff wall. The man laughed, "You better use Shukaku's chakra now!"

"Shut up!" Naruto leapt over to the battle, "From now on I'm your opponent!"

The man attacked Naruto with his wind swords, knocking Naruto down to the ground.

The man began to speak again but Gaara was getting dizzy again.

"**Come on brat. He's right you know. Just take some of my chakra. Do it"**

'_No. I won't. I refuse.'_

"**You won't last very long like this you know. Just trust me."**

'_Go to hell!'_

The Shukaku laughed at him.

Gaara was snapped out of his thought however, when he saw Naruto being attacked. The blue swords formed water dragons and were launching for him when Gaara had just enough chakra to protect Naruto with a sand dome.

"Your weapon isn't strong enough to break my shield. I'll show you my power!"

"Hah! Don't make me laugh! The Sand's ultimate weapon protecting others?! And using your remaining chakra for your comrades? That will be your end!"

The man sent a hit towards him or so Gaara thought. However a strange metal dome protruded out form the ground and surrounded Gaara, blocking and locking him inside except for a few open spots.

'_What is this?! What's going on?!'_

"We want Shukaku's chakra." He laughed but Gaara was confused, "I've waited so long for this! Now Gaara it's time for you to become Shukaku and give me its power!"

"Gaara!" Naruto's voice rang out as he ran over to help but the dome was circling completely now, making it darker and more secluded until there was one more open spot left. He took out the Jouhyou and threw it out, _'Matsuri. I hope you see this!'_

In fact, the weapon landed right in front of her and Gaara crossed his legs sitting down I the dark dome. He called upon his third eye outside the metal prison, able to watch everything from inside the dome. Naruto confronted the man.

However, Gaara wasn't prepared for the sudden onslaught of pain. He remembered this pain. The pain of the Shukaku trying to escape.

'_No! This can't be happening! I have to control it!'_

"**Hah! Good luck with that kid! Your done for now and I'll finally be free!"**

'_Not on my watch!'_

However, Gaara was losing the battle, the Shukaku being stronger than him at the moment.

Gaara couldn't even make out what was going on outside. He saw from the third eye something about a dead man coming back to life and Naruto was now fighting him but Gaara was in too much pain to clearly think at all.

He screamed in pain and utter terror at what was to come. He was losing the battle with Shukaku and he was losing quickly. The Shukaku was already forming on one side of his body, making him forget what was really going on outside.

However, Gaara could hear his name being called.

'_Naruto!'_

A brief memory entered his mind from months ago.

(flashback)

The sand circled around her just like it did those rain ninja in the forest. It would be a lie if Mika said she wasn't scared but Mika was thinking of something. Gaara was so unstable. He said he would just let Shukaku out.

But how could he do that?

It dawned on her.

"Your demon isn't properly sealed, is it Gaara? That's why Shukaku can easily appear and control you."

Gaara listened to Mika's words and suddenly gripped his head in pain, closing his eyes. In that moment, Mika used a substitution jutsu.

"You're not alone, Gaara!"

"Shut up!"

The sand coffin killed the clone and Mika appeared beside Gaara, leaned down in front of him and pulled up his shirt to reveal his seal tattoo.

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He stared into her eyes, the beautiful blue shimmering against the stars that they sat under.

'_What is happening to me? I'm not supposed to feel this. What is this feeling?'_

Gaara remembered his past then, remembering how Yashamaru betrayed him.

'_Is it happening again? Will she betray me too?'_

The Shukaku kept silent letting the scene unfold until Gaara's eyes hardened with pain.

'_Will all of this just go away again like that day? I don't want to be alone but. . . I can't bare the thought. . . the pain. Not again.'_

Mika stared up at him in confusion, "You okay Gaara?"

She reached a hand up to cup the side of his cheek gently, snapping the red-head out of his memories.

"Hey. I know that look, Gaara" she told him, feeling her eyes stinging.

"You're my friend and I would never betray you."

"How did you know-"

"How did I know what you were thinking? Because I used to sport that look all of the time." She interrupted him, "I know how it feels to be betrayed by others. How it feels to be lonely and wonder whether or not you really have a purpose in this world or not."

She smiled up at him and he didn't know what to think.

(end of flashback)

'_You knew then that I needed help. Why didn't I take your advice? Why didn't I let you help me?!'_

"**You're too late now boy! I'm almost there!"**

'_No!'_

But it was too late and the Shukaku took complete control over him, breaking down the dome with its one large arm using Gaara's body to do so.

Gaara stood in the clearing, the Shukaku laughing in his mind as it took control over him, **"You're so weak! No wonder the girl left you to go to another country! She never wanted to come to Suna in the first place you fool!"**

Deep in his own mind, Gaara was trapped but still tried to fight, _'No! Mika's my friend!'_

"**Is that why she left you?!"**

'_You're wrong!'_

"**Am I? I think she liked Uchiha more than you! I heard from your mind that he kissed her and she practically let him!"**

'_No she didn't! She didn't want it and I know it! Get back in your cage Shukaku! Leave!'_

"**I DON'T THINK SO!"**

'_Get out!'_

He only barely registered that more people had shown up to the clearing. He noticed his sibling's chakra.

'_No! They can't be here!'_

"**I'll kill them" **Shukaku threatened but that only made Gaara angrier.

'_No! I won't let you! Dammit! Leave!'_

The resurrected man began speaking, "Fighting the Shukaku wasn't in my plans but it will help in proving my power I suppose."

Gaara then remembered back when he fought Naruto and at the end of the battle when he finally opened his eyes.

(flashback)

Naruto looked up to him, "It's almost unbearable isn't it? The pain of loneliness. The way you feel. I understand it so well, the pain of being all alone. Mika understands it too. We were never accepted before."

Gaara stared at Naruto in shock.

"But I've got other people I care about now. And I won't let you hurt them! Even if I have to kill you. I will protect them with my life!"

He tried to move more but couldn't. Gaara calmed slightly and asked, "But why? Why are you fighting for them?"

Naruto answered his question, "Because they saved me from myself. They were the first to accept me and Mika for who we were. Their my friends. I couldn't live without them. I love them."

(end of flashback)

Gaara concentrated on that memory, forcibly pushing Shukaku out.

"**Wait! What are you doing?! How is this possible!? No!"**

'_You are never coming out again!'_

Gaara opened his eyes once more and Shukaku's sand ran off of his body.

The resurrected man chuckled, "You can't maintain Shukaku's form with that chakra?"

Gaara huffed, "I will protect my comrades with my own power!"

"Pathetic" the man argued, "Ninja have no need for emotions. Those that kill their emotions become more powerful. And that power is the only justice. You're already finished."

The man sent the strange blue sword weapon at him but he dodged just in time only to be hit by another in the side.

"This is as far as you go, monster of the sand"

Gaara looked up at him and smirked.

The man was now confused, "You don't have enough chakra to fight now. Why are you laughing?"

Gaara spoke, "It's true. I'm almost out of chakra but did you really think I was sitting in that cage twiddling my thumbs?!"

Gaara slapped his hands together and shouted, "Sand Tsunami!"

But nothing happened, making the man in the air laugh, "Hm. It appears you've run out of sand as well as chakra.

"I'm Gaara of the desert. Where ever there's rock, or earth I can make more sand."

Out of nowhere, the rock on the cliff above them shattered and crumbled into sand, created more of a sand avalanche than anything, burying the nearby trees even in sand up to the tops. His friends bolted away in time to miss the tsunami, still watching as Gaara fought his enemy.

Naruto looked in amazement as Gaara merely placed his hands to his side, thinking it was over.

But he was wrong as he noticed that the man blew out of the sand like nothing, "You have that much chakra left. How unexpected. On the other hand that means there's that much more I can feed on."

Gaara then felt his remaining chakra being sucked up by the man's armor_, 'Damn. I better hurry this up.'_

He held out his hand and formed a rather large weapon out of his sand, "Shukaku spike!" he shouted as he lunged it, aiming the direct hit at the man's chest and into the armor that was sucking up his chakra.

Seimei was so surprised, he never had time to dodge and was impaled on the impact.

"What?! No! It's impossible!" the man shouted, bleeding madly.

Gaara sighed, "You wouldn't understand. You're only a ninja tool. You turned your back on being human."

"No! No! Noooo!" the man screamed but the weapons dissipated and shattered around him and he fell to the ground. Gaara gave him no reprieve and sucked him under the sand, "Giant Sand Burial!"

The sand all around crunched and pressured down to crush his enemy.

The battle was over.

Naruto was the first to shout to him, "Yeah! Way to go Gaara!" His friends and Siblings rushed over to him. Gaara, however, was losing his battle to stay on his feet and he fell down onto the sand, his head clouded.

"Gaara!"

He found Sakura over him, healing his injuries and returning his chakra.

"Mmg" he mumbled and tried to sit up but Sakura pushed him back down.

"Now, now" she chastised, "There's no need to rush now. You've won. Just rest."

Naruto was by him as well, "Heh heh! Way to go Gaara! But I'm kind of concerned about something. Where's Mika? Wouldn't she be here too or is she in Suna still training?"

Gaara knew this was coming. He just wished Tsunade would have told him first, "Actually no. The previous temporary Kazekage kicked her out after she had an episode with her anger. She almost killed over twenty villagers in the market."

"What?! But where is she now?!"

'_She almost killed people?'_ Naruto thought_, 'I don't believe it'_

Gaara sat up fully, ignoring Sakura's protests, "She's on her way to the Land of Snow."

Naruto actually looked somewhat relieved, "That's good. At least she knows where she's going."

Temari then spoke up, much to Gaara's anger, "The previous temp Kazekage, however, sent her out without any food or water or even a map. Sensitive little Gaara here tricked the big man, giving Mika a 'hug' only to put ration pellets water, her map and a compass in her pockets."

"Her butt pockets" Kankuro just had to add in with a chuckle.

Naruto looked ready to kill, "You did what?"

Gaara actually looked a little frightened in his state of vulnerability, "No. Whatever Kankuro says. . . No."

Naruto sighed, "Oh good! That's a relief! If it had been what I think then we'd have a problem Gaara!"

The red head looked a bit confused, "What?"

"Never mind! It's not important!" Temari grabbed his brother, pulling him up off the ground and whispered in his ear, "Shut up"

"Aw whatever!" Naruto dismissed and the group looked amused.

"I just hope she's alright" Gaara looked somber and a bit worried but Naruto laughed and slapped his back affectionately.

"Aw! Don't worry! I'm sure she's fine! She's probably almost half-way there already!"

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"I'll never get there! It's gonna take forever holy mother freaking God!" Mika collapsed in the grass near a creek. She had finally made it out of the desert and was making her way through the Rain village, trying to stay out of view from any enemy ninja.

"I hope I'm almost half way there dammit!"

**-888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888-**

**R&R**


	4. I made it

**Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry about that folks. Enjoy the chapter!**

"Talking"

'_thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

'_**Demon thoughts'**_

(flashbacks)

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Mika had finally made it to the Mountain Village's border. It had been roughly four days of traveling since she left the Sand Village and she was already out of food. She was exhausted and the last river or creek she had went by was many hours ago.

'_Just a little further. Just a little further and I'll make camp for a while and rest'_

Mika stopped and sniffed the air. She smelt water nearby and she smiled.

She sniffed again.

'_Is that?'_ Mika frowned in confusion, '_No it couldn't be. Food?'_

Yes it was in fact. Mika grinned and bounced in a run, skipping gallantly towards the scent of freshly roasting beef, chicken, fish and vegetables.

When she leapt finally in the trees to get there faster, she spotted a town.

'_That must be where the scent of food is from' _she gulped and clutched her stomach.

All this time she had traveled without the bandages on her but she had never once stumbled on a town, afraid that she might lose control and hurt someone like she almost did in Suna.

Mika sighed as her stomach ached and grumbled, "Guess I'll give it a shot, though."

She leapt off of the trees and walked to the town reluctantly. Finally she made it to a gate and stopped in front of it when a guard came out in front to greet her.

"Hello miss. May I ask who you are?" The man was young, a little older than her with strange blue armor, a silver helmet and a blue spear in his hands. She could tell he had black hair and green eyes.

Mika smiled, "My name is Mika Uzumaki. I'm just a traveler looking for some food and shelter. May I enter?"

She tried to seem polite and the guard regarded her slowly before grinning, "An Uzumaki, huh? We have had a few of those here in our town! You're welcome here! Stay as long as you like!"

Mika smiled but tilted her head in confusion, "Uzumakis'? What town is this? It's not on my map." She brought out her map and showed it to him.

The man laughed and grinned wider, "Oh my! Well you see, this map seems to be pretty old! This town was founded just a few years ago. It's called Shin. How old is that map? 100 years?"

Mika laughed, "Probably. So what's your name? I told you mine." She tried to coax and the man blushed a little.

"My name is Isamu Katashi."

Mika smiled at him again, making him even darker in the face as she spoke once more, "So. . . I'll see you around then? I'm gonna go buy some grub. I'm starving!"

Isamu laughed and let the girl pass by to get into town.

Mika walked around for a while, smiling. It was so happy in this town. It reminded her of Konoha.

Finally, she came across a small diner and stumbled inside. A nice waitress walked up to her and asked her what she'd have today.

Although many villagers were watching her, Mika wasn't troubled by it and ordered two bowls of beef ramen, a bowl of sweet red bean soup and a side of sauté mushrooms with onions and asparagus.

The villagers were surprised that Mika was able to eat all of it and order a bowl of dango balls to boot!

When she was finished, Mika got up but a small group of three men walked up to her. One was huge with bulging muscles and a bald head, one was small and skinny with blonde hair and the other man was about in between with long spiky brown hair.

They all wore the same armor that the guard, Isamu, wore at the front gates.

The man with long spiky brown hair smiled at her, "What is a sweet little girl like you doing in this small town, sugar?"

Mika immediately didn't like them, "Traveling"

She tried to leave when the small blonde stopped her, "Where you from, love? Or rather of, where you headed to?"

"You in a hurry muffin?" the bald bulk grumbled.

Mika growled but breathed slowly, "I'm a Konoha Leaf Kunoichi and if you know what's good for you, you'll back off."

The men abruptly stepped back, "A leaf ninja?!" they looked frightened and then Mika finally understood why.

These men didn't wear headbands but sported armor.

'_Probably for protection mainly then'_ she smirked, '_And here I thought they might be enemy ninja'_

She chuckled as the men looked fearful. What would she do to them?

"Don't worry, I'm not your enemy. Like I said, I'm just traveling. I'll be out of here in a few hours."

The three men slumped their shoulders in relief, "Why?" Mika asked, "You guys that afraid of ninja?"

The small blonde nodded, "This town of ours is made up of villagers that their other villages had been destroyed by enemy ninja. We can only protect ourselves with our armor and weapons."

The man with the long hair spoke, "Only a few of our men truly know how to fight, though."

Mika was intrigued now, "What are your names?"

The long-haired man spoke, "Kenta"

The small blonde spoke, "Nao"

The bald bulk spoke last, "Takeshi"

Mika nodded, "My name is Mika Uzumaki of the Leaf Village. Nice to meet you guys!"

The three men seemed to calm down a bit, obviously not ready for a true fight. They all apologized for their rude behavior towards her and Mika invited them to sit at her table with her and they spoke small conversation.

Kenta was the first to speak, "So where are you headed to Mika?"

Mika took a sip of her tea, "The Land of Snow. I'm looking for a specific mountain than monks live on. I need them to teach me. Do you know where I can find it?"

Nao frowned, "You're looking for the temple of the Red Storms?"

"Red storms?"

"Yes" Kenta hesitated, "It's called the Red Storm Temple because anyone who dares to venture into those mountains die, their blood splattered on the mountains like a horrible threat. Not because of the monks but because of the storms that lurk there."

"Don't forget the man-eating wolves" Takeshi muttered.

Mika smirked, "Hm. So which direction do I head in?"

'_The wolves must be the protectors of the temple or something. Suiting.'_ she thought.

The three men looked at her as if she were crazy until Kenta finally spoke up again, "Umm, well from here I'd say it will be a two day journey north. Follow me outside please"

The four stood up and walked outside and Mika could clearly see from a distance the mountains on North. Lightning was spattering the sky there like bombs.

Mika nodded, "Alright. I'll get some supplies and head out then."

Nao gasped, "You're not seriously thinking about going out there are you?!"

Mika nodded seriously, "I have to. If I don't then my whole life is meaningless and I can just forget seeing any of my friends and brother ever again. I have to do this."

The men looked confused until Kenta asked, "Why? Why must you go there?"

She shook her head, "That I can't tell you or else you'll surely fear me even more."

A voice spoke up from behind her, "I'll go with you."

Isamu was behind her with a smile on his face. Mika frowned, "No."

The man sputtered, "What?! Why not?!"

Mika sighed, "Because you're not a ninja. You'll die if you go out there with me."

Isamu smirked, "That's where you are wrong. I may not be a ninja but I can take care of myself. I have a Kekkei Genkai!"

Mika gasped, "What?! What kind?" she was curious now and Isamu grinned.

The other three men also looked intrigued as Isamu took off his armor to reveal many scars. He took off his helmet and Mika could clearly see his face.

He was hot.

But that didn't stop Mika's curiosity of his Kekkei Genkai.

Isamu huffed and breathed in sharply pointing his face to Mika's cooling tea that she held in her hand.

The man breathed out, "Boil Release!"

Mika shrieked as the tea became so hot and boiling that the cup broke.

Isamu was grinning like a fool as the three men and Mika stared at him in shock.

'_Interesting. He has some control over it as well it seems but would he be able to protect himself from me if need be?'_

Mika broke into a smile, "Perfect! That's awesome! But do you have any family that would disapprove of you going?"

Isamu shook his head, "Nah, I'm an orphan."

Mika slapped her hands together, "It's settled then. Pack up some stuff and you can come with me to the Red Storm temple. Meet me at the front gate, okay?"

Isamu smiled, "Right! Kenta, could you cover me as guard then?"

Kenta sighed, "Very well. If you're sure about this kid."

Isamu grinned and ran off home to pack some things.

Mika waited at the front gate for an hour before Isamu finally came back with a back pack full of things. Mika smiled, "You ready?"

He nodded and they set off, waving goodbye to Kenta, Nao and Takeshi. Mika had to admit it, she wasn't bad at making new friends.

A day passed when they finally made it to the mountains, the lightning getting brighter and the thunder roaring louder than before.

Mika smiled at Isamu, who she had gotten to now more on the way. She learned that his parents were actually ninja from the Rain Country in the Grass village. They had been killed in Action from an invasion, forcing Isamu to flee his village at age seven. He was found by a few men that took him in because of his Kekkei Genkai and used him for their own gain. Finally though when he was twelve, he left the gang and set off on his own, finding the town Shin. He has stayed there ever since, helping to guard the town from potential enemies. He was now sixteen, three years older than Mika.

Finally it was night again and they had seemed to have had great progress. They were close on a mountain that was only half covered in snow.

Isamu used his Boil Release Jutsu to melt the snow and he helped Mika set up camp.

When they were finished setting up, Mika got out some beef jerky that Takeshi had given them and split it between the two of them, "Don't eat all of it. We need to ration it. Don't know how long we'll be out here after all."

Isamu nodded but just a few minutes later, the howl of a wolf was heard in the distance.

Mika looked sharply in the direction got up to sniff the air. Isamu looked perplexed, "Uhhh. . . .What are you doing?"

"Scouting the air by scent. I can scent a pack of six wolves three miles away North and approaching here fast. We need to head out around East to avoid them."

"Can't you just use you Ninja Jutsu stuff to kill them?"

Mika glared at Isamu, "I will not hurt animals. It is only in their nature to want to protect their territory after all. This is their home and we are the ones trespassing."

Isamu nodded in understanding, following Mika after packing, they headed East to avoid the wolves.

As they ventured in the night, it was harder to see but Mika was able to lead Isamu in the mountains, trying to be careful of the lightning that was getting closer and more powerful. However, rain rarely fell.

It was a few hours later when Isamu finally spoke again, getting irritated with her, "Do you even know which mountain you're trying to find?"

Mika stopped, "No."

Isamu groaned but as they crossed the ledge of the mountain they were currently on, Mika stopped to observe something. The poor man with her shivered, "What's wrong?"

". . . There's blood in the air"

'_**Blood. Feast on it'**_

Mika shook her head_, 'Shut up. Not you again.'_

The dark voice in her chuckled but left anyway.

"Mika? Something's wrong. I don't hear the wolves anymore."

The girl sighed and turned to face her traveling partner. She really didn't know why she kept him out here with her. She was a ninja after all. She could keep herself warm without his Boil Release Jutsu.

But something was different about him. Something familiar that she didn't want to let go yet.

"They're upon us. We'll have to fight them. Or rather . . . . I'll fight them. You stay behind me, alright?"

Isamu nodded and Mika crunched through the snow softly to look around her surroundings more.

Another howl broke out and it was close. Mika looked upwards to see that the wolf was above them on the ledge a couple feet higher than their heads.

Mika growled as if to ward them off but the wolf snarled and jumped down in front of them. It seemed to be an old wolf, probably the alpha.

'_Okami, I could really use your help right about now.'_

But what she didn't know was that Okami was meditating, trying with all of his might to sense his sister if she was nearby.

Mika whipped out a kunai and the wolf growled even louder. Isamu whimpered behind Mika in fear, all of the stories everyone told about the mountain popping up in his head again.

But the kunoichi was anything but afraid. She had never encountered a wolf before but she was certain that normal wolves didn't wear scarves around their necks. She sighed.

"Are you a guardian of this mountain?" she asked the wolf and he took a step closer.

Mika took a step towards it in response making the wolf a little anxious, "My name is Mika Uzumaki of the Leaf Village and I am here to find the Red Storm Temple and train with Okami's sister."

The wolf immediately stepped back and sat on his back legs. The next thing that happened almost made Isamu piss himself.

"Forgive me, Madam Uzumaki" the wolf spoke, "Imako and the head Monk have indeed filled us in on your arrival soon but who, may I ask is the male cowering behind you?"

Mika chuckled, "This is Isamu, my traveling companion."

The wolf nodded, "I am called Toshi of the Snowy Mountains. Now if you'd follow me, I'd be elated to take you to Imako and the monks."

Mika smiled, "Thank you. You coming Isamu?"

Isamu looked utterly terrified, "D-do all animals talk?!"

She giggled, "Nah, only the special ones" she gently pat Toshi's head and he panted in delight.

Isamu gulped but followed the two nonetheless, clinging to Mika as the other wolves in Toshi's pack followed them.

They trekked through the mountains for at least another few hours until finally they reached the mountain that was in Mika's dreams. The mountain was the highest of them all and it seemed to be where the lightning was originating from.

Mika stared up at the mountain in awe that they were climbing. Isamu was on her back as he couldn't run straight up mountain wall and the wolves were able to climb it themselves with chakra in their paws as well.

"So where's the temple at exactly? Is it inside the mountain?"

Toshi's shook his head, "No. It's on top of it at the highest peak."

Mika nodded and as she was faster, she ran ahead of the wolves putting chakra in her legs to make her go faster until she reached a ledge and stopped, waiting for the wolves to catch up with her and Isamu.

Isamu wobbly fell off of her back and sat down on the ledge floor to clear his head. When Toshi reached them, he nudged Mika on the leg and walked ahead of them across the ledge as if wanting them to follow him. Mika did so, taking Isamu's hand to lead him.

Soon they reached a cave entrance and Mika gasped, looking around and she saw the ocean not far off, the roaring waves crashing in the distance and the thunder as loud as ever. Mika turned around and followed Toshi in the cave followed by Isamu and the other pack wolves who wouldn't speak.

As they ventured in the dark, Mika's heart thumped and pounded in her chest, the excitement overflowing in her system like fireworks at the festival. She felt the familiar sting in her gut but kept the feeling down, calming herself.

Finally they reached the end but Toshi stopped, "I cannot go any further as I must go back with my pack to guard from enemies. Hope to see you again soon young Kunoichi." Toshi bowed his head and left with his pack, leaving Mika alone with Isamu to enter the temple.

They walked out of the cave and onto a marble floor decorated with gems and diamonds. The marble floor formed a giant circle at the entrance of the actual red temple. It was just like in her dreams but this time, it was for real.

However, instead of a giant black wolf in the center of the temple, a man in black and red robes with black hair stood, a small smile on his face.

Isamu gaped at the man, "W-who are you?!"

Mika tilted her head at him in question as well.

The man spoke, "Greetings. I am the head monk. My name is Kenshin Katashi of the Red Storm Temple. And you two are?"

Isamu gasped in shock, "K-kenshin?! Kenshin is that really you?!"

The man known as Kenshin frowned in confusion, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

Isamu nearly cried, "Kenshin, it's me! Isamu!"

Kenshin suddenly smiled in great exhilaration, "Isamu! Brother!"

Mika gaped, "Brother?!"

The two 'brothers' ran up to each other and hugged in their reunion, Isamu crying in hysterics.

Mika was suddenly reminded of her own brother, _'I wonder how Naruto's doing? We used to hug like that all the time.'_

When the two parted, Kenshin slapped his shoulder, "It's great to see you again, little brother. It's been a long time. How's mother and father?"

Isamu's features darkened, "They died a long time ago by enemy ninja but now I'm a apart of a new town. That's where I met Mika here. She's traveled from Konoha to see the temple."

Mika blushed as the man looked at her with a grim smile, "Is that so? You must be Mika Uzumaki then, the one Imako keeps telling me about."

"Imako? Is that the twelve tails?" she asked.

"yes" Kenshin nodded and came closer to her, "Imako is the twelve-tailed demon wolf. She has told me many things about you. She's visited you in dreams, right?"

Mika nodded and Kenshin smiled, "Welcome to the Red Storm Temple. You will train here until you can control your dark chakra and your demon's chakra and Imako also wants to teach you how to use lightning and storm jutsu. Are you ready?"

Mika vigorously nodded, "Yes sir!"

'_I've finally made it'_

She thought of Naruto again, _'Brother, I've made it. I wonder if you're getting stronger than me already again?'_

(flashback)

After the Chunin Exams, Naruto and Mika were sitting in their room on their separate beds.

Mika sighed, "So about your fight with Gaara, Naruto. . ."

She stopped and Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? What about him?"

Mika swallowed, "You've gotten stronger. A lot stronger."

Naruto grinned, "Well of course! I'm Naruto Uzumaki after all! The future Hokage of the Leaf Village!"

Mika giggled, "Yeah. I'm. . . I'm proud of you Naruto. You defeated him. You stopped him, saved Sakura, Sasuke and the whole Leaf Village most likely! Look the point is that . . . Well I"

"Stop Mika" Mika looked up to see Naruto kneeling in front of her, "I get it alright? And I'm proud to call you my sister too!"

With that, Naruto embraced her in a bear hug, rubbing her back to soothe her as the tears flowed down her cheeks and she started hiccupping.

"Yeah" Mika whispered.

'_I'm so proud to call you my brother.'_

(End of flashback)

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**R&R**


	5. Meeting Imako

**So we finally get to the training! Please review guys, I'm losing hope here and am beginning to think that people really don't care. Let me know! Please!**

"Talking"

'_thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

(flashback)

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Mika looked to Kenshin, "So when do we start?"

Kenshin and Isamu glanced at her and Kenshin looked a bit nervous, "Well Ms. Uzumaki, I believe that Imako will want to start your training tomorrow. Tonight I will prepare you, give you the proper attire and rules to abide by while you're here."

"Wait" she held up her hands, "Rules? And you're Isamu's brother right? I'm gonna want to hear that story too you know?"

The two black haired teens smiled, "Sure thing."

Mika nodded and let Kenshin lead her and Isamu into the red temple. Mika also noticed the two cherry blossom trees on either side of the entrance.

While they walked in, Mika was amazed at all the art and monuments that stood around. At the back of the first room they entered into the temple, there were two wolves standing side by side. One with Eleven Tails and another with Twelve Tails.

"This place is awesome! So when do I meet Imako then? Does she know the twelve-tails?"

Kenshin stared at her, his green eyes wide, "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" she was really clueless now.

The head monk sighed, "Imako _IS _the Twelve-tails."

Mika was silent, hitching her breathe and raising her eyebrows questioningly, "Y-you mean she's. . . she's inside of you?"

The monk nodded his head with a smile.

Mika scoffed, "Then how the hell is she supposed to train me in she's locked inside of you?!"

Kenshin furrowed his brow in confusion but then there was a loud sigh that filled the room around them. Kenshin didn't even flinch when a large black wolf with twelve tails leaped out of his belly and in front of Mika who yelped in surprise.

Isamu had a different more comical response and decided to hide behind his older brother for protection.

The large black wolf growled as she walked closer to Mika, her eyes sparkling with delight, **"Finally you have arrived."**

Mika let out a breathe. The wolf's shoulders came to her head and the she just stared down at Mika curiously.

"Y-you're Imako? My trainer? How are you supposed to teach me lightning and water jutsu though? And how are you able to just leap out of your host like that?! I don't understand!" She grabbed her hair and pulled irritated.

Imako sighed and sat in front of her. Kenshin smiled and round an arm around his brother, "Let's leave them be. I'll show you to your new room, brother."

With that, Kenshin and Isamu left Imako and Mika alone in the room together. Mika suddenly got more nervous as the wolf's piercing eyes looked through her.

"**You have a darkness inside of you."**

Mika nodded, "Yes. That's part of the reason why I came. I can't control it. My sensei's think it's because of Okami's demon power joining with my depressed hate and anger to create something darker."

Imako nodded, "**Then they are partly correct. Do you know the tale of me and my brother, little one?"**

"A tale? All I know is that you two are tailed demons. Okami did tell me though that you and him are siblings and left to live in the forests as normal wolves and then here in the mountains at one point. The monks built you this shrine because you two saved their village."

Imako nodded, "**However we are something more than just tailed beasts my dear."**

The great wolf walked up to her and Okami's statues, **"You notice that I am a black wolf and Okami is white?"**

Mika nodded, "Yes."

She continued, **"Well at the time of the Sage of the Six Paths, the sage created Okami and I for a much greater reason than power. He made us for peace. Okami represents strength and light while I represent intellect and darkness. Together we are Yin and Yang though we do not go by those names."**

Mika nodded in understanding, "Alright but how are you going to teach me jutsu?"

Imako chuckled, "**I may be a wolf, child, but I am still capable of ninjutsu just like any other ninja animal."**

The great wolf leaned on her front paws down, bringing her tails up in the air and growled menacingly. Mika almost jumped back when lightning gathered and formed on each of her tails, crackling and sizzling from nothing, **"This is chakra lightning. I notice from your chakra signature that you already know this jutsu. You may call it a different name where you're from but I call it the Spark of Death."**

"The Chidori Lightning blade" Mika spoke in awe and Imako nodded.

"**We will discuss your training later though. How is my brother? Is he behaving?"**

Imako started walking to where Kenshin and Isamu left, leading Mika with her.

"Yeah I guess. I haven't got to talk to him, though or else my dark half comes out and takes control using his chakra."

Imako nodded, "**We'll take care of that first thing tomorrow morning. Then maybe within the next month you'll be able to control his chakra at will without any problems. It took me and Kenshin ages but we finally worked it out."**

When they came to the next room, Mika's stomach grumbled as she spotted the kitchen. Imako chuckled, **"But I suppose this is a conversation for later as well. Go ahead. You may feast tonight. However, when you are finished, I shall have Kenshin find you and take you to your room. He will explain the rules from there and give you your uniform to wear while you are staying here."**

Mika nodded, not really paying much attention and as the wolf left her, Mika ran to the cupboards, finding many fruits and vegetables and grains.

"What?! Oh well I suppose it's better than nothing." Mika grabbed a plate and filled it with plenty of grapes, cheese, a peach and corn. When she was finished, she left the kitchen and decided to explore around.

She ran into many other monks, realizing that the temple was much bigger than it looked, _'It must level down into the mountain like tunnels or something.'_

She found many rooms on her own but a lot of them were also locked and she assumed that they could have been bedrooms. She turned another corner until she ran into someone.

"Hey It's you!" Kenshin laughed and helped Mika up off the floor, "I assume you found the kitchen? The smell of fruit and cheese is on your breathe."

Mika recollected herself, "Uh, yeah I mean. . . Why is there no meat though? I saw plenty of veggies and fruit but no meats."

Kenshin smiled, "Well the monks here don't eat meat. It's a part of who we are and it's one of the rules here you'll have to learn as well."

Mika's jaw dropped, '_Dammit and here I was looking forward to feasting on a cow or pig!'_

"That's okay" Mika grinned back, "What are the other rules while I'm here with you?"

The black-haired man ran a hand through his hair and smiled, "Here, I'll tell you some wile we are on our way to your room. You must be exhausted."

She nodded and walked beside him down a hall lighted with candles on the walls.

Kenshin began to speak, "There are many rules but I'll only name the few distinct ones. The rest are written on a scroll for you in your room to look over for tomorrow."

She nodded and he began, "Rule number one: There will be no violence tolerated inside the temple. That means no fierce arguments, no hitting or attacking and absolutely no weapons are allowed in the temple itself."

Mika stared at him, "SO how do you protect yourself then from potential invaders?"

"Invaders? No one with ill will has ever been able to reach this mountain in centuries. We are perfectly safe here without violence. Now rule number two: No meat allowed in the temple and monk shall never consume any meat outside the temple."

"But _I_ could eat meat outside the temple if _I_ found it? What about fish? Fish is just technically fish and not classified as meat."

"Yes we occasionally have fish and yes you may eat meat outside the temple_ IF_ you find any. Third and final major rule: Never disrespect the tailed wolves or monks."

Mika nodded, "I think I can handle those rules. Can't promise any others though."

Kenshin sighed, "Very well then. We are here."

Mika glanced to the door that was marked with her name on it. Mika blinked, "My name is on it."

The green-eyed man smiled, "Yes. Because Imako knew you'd be coming."

She nodded, "And she's . . . you know. . . inside you now again?"

He raised an eyebrow but nodded carefully as she nodded back.

"Inside your room, you'll find your new uniform laying on your bed. One size fits all so you have nothing to worry about measurements. See you tomorrow. We'll meet in the kitchen first thing at seven in the morning."

"Got it! See you tomorrow then! Thanks for letting me train here by the way." Mika spoke cheerfully and went in her new room.

Kenshin smiled fondly, "No problem, kid."

When the door closed, Mika was left on her own with a few candles, a small bed on the floor with the new uniform on it, a desk with the rule scroll on it and a bathroom. Basically all that was in her new room was the essentials.

'_This is going to be a long two years. Oh! Dammit! I forgot to ask Kenshin how he and Isamu were separated or whatever! Dammit!'_

She plopped on the ground on her semi-soft bed, '_Oh well'_ she yawned, _'Tomorrow will be the beginning of everything. Finally I'll be able to control Okami's power and . . . and what then?'_

Mika sat up in the bed and looked at her new clothes. It was a white monk robe with beautiful red cherry blossoms and flowers decorated on it, the braches being black in the design.

'_It's beautiful. One size fits all huh?'_

She drifted to sleep with the question still in her head: _'What will I do after I control Okami's power?'._

-88888888888888888888888-

The next morning, Mika got ready, dressed in her new monk robe, read through half the rules and met Kenshin and Isamu in the kitchen.

Isamu greeted her warmly, "Good morning Mika!"

Kenshin merely waved, "Did you read all the rules?"

She blushed, "Well uh. . .Half of them really. I kind of fell asleep pretty early last night."

Kenshin nodded, "Very well. You'll finish them after training today. Follow me."

Kenshin left the kitchen, leaving Isamu and Mika to follow him, Mika grabbing an apple on the way out.

When they reached the entrance of the temple, Kenshin led them to the center of the circle decorated marble floor. Kenshin took Mika's hand but spoke to his brother, "You should wait here. We have a library on the second floor down. We will be a while."

Isamu nodded a bit disappointed but did as his brother told him to and left. Kenshin brought Mika to him and stepped on a particular green stone that didn't fit in, causing the circle decorated marble floor to move into different round patterns until finally unlocking somehow. Mika jumped when the floor began to rise like a platform and go upwards into the mountain ceiling. However the mountain had an opening at the top and allowed the platform upwards and stop when they reached the top of the mountain, outside on the flat windy but father strangely large peak. The peak was large enough to fit her and Naruto's apartment complex on it.

"Okay" Mika spoke, getting off the platform and on the snowy mountain, "This is cool. What now?"

Kenshin smiled, "Imako and I will help you control the dark power."

Just like yesterday, Imako leaped through Kenshin's belly through the seal and stood beside him. Mika grinned, "Will me and Okami be able to do that?!"

"**No"** Imako spoke, "**Kenshin and I are a special case. You see, when Okami was sealed inside of you, I could sense it and being a part of him, it was hurting me and suppressing me. I had to find a Jinchuriki of my own so I came to the mountains and consulted with the monks. They suggested a child from the village and I chose Kenshin when he was seven years old and brought him away from his village to live with the monks so he could learn to control my power. The monks then performed a peculiar sealing jutsu that allowed me to willingly escape his body whenever I desired."**

"Cool but then how can I control Okami's power when Kenshin doesn't even have that problem with you?"

Kenshin spoke this time, "I actually did suffer sort of the same side effects as you. However, I only felt anger. Me not being a ninja, I cannot properly control my chakra anyways. But Imako can control it within me, helping me to perform jutsu to protect myself if need be."

Mika nodded, "Okay. So how do I control the chakra?"

Imako grinned wolfishly, "**You must be at peace with your inner self. It will take a while, though. I sense much tension between you and your other self. She seems to be the complete opposite of you."**

Mika stopped, "Wait but the last time I tried reasoning with myself, she tried to destroy the sand village."

Imako tilted her head, "**You will not let her escape. Merely meditate. Seek peace and enter Okami's prison with your own chakra and not his. This way 'she' will not escape from you."**

"But if she does," Kenshin intervened, "Then we'll be here to seal her back again in you. Don't worry about it."

Mika nodded and sat on the snowy ground, "So I just. . .? I sit in silence and", she hesitated, "Meditate?"

Imako and Kenshin nodded and Imako spoke, "**Search inside yourself and find the true you. Only then will I be able to teach you anything."**

"Talk about motivation." Mika whispered and crossed her legs, closing her eyes.

'_This is stupid. I can't possibly meditate when they are so close by watching me. I feel nervous. They are watching so intently. How am I supposed to do this anyway? I can't just figure out on my own how to enter Okami's prison without using his chakra! It's suicide!'_

Mika swallowed and waited for what seemed to be hours when it was really just a few minutes. Mika had sensed that Kenshin had sat with her, seeming to be meditating as well with Imako watching them both.

It was two hours later when she finally had enough, "I can't do it." She opened her eyes and saw that Imako and Kenshin weren't even there anymore.

'_Where the fuck did they go?!'_

Mika looked around the mountain peak and got up suddenly. She looked around for the platform but couldn't find it again.

'_What's going on?! What happened?!'_

Mika turned around and saw someone at the other side of the mountain peak, the snow flying in her face slapping her harshly. The person began walking closer to her. Mika stepped back a few times before she realized who the person was.

'_That's me. It's me!'_

The person was right in front of her now but there was something different about her form Mika. The eyes were different. They were golden. The girl smirked, her skin changing to a pale gray, her hair changing into white from red and her nails grew sharper and longer as did her canine teeth.

"**So we meet again" **she spoke.

Mika gulped, "Who are you?"

The copy grinned, "**I'm you, stupid. I'm the hate you keep locked up. The darkness"**

Mika snarled at her, "You're not me. You're just something dark in my chakra that manifested and grew into a fucked up copy of me."

The copy glared, **"You keep telling yourself that. I know why you're here at the temple. You want to destroy me. But guess what, sweety? You can't get rid of me! I'm you whether you like it or not! And one day I will rule you! I'll take over you and nothing will remain! Nothing!"**

Mika stood tall and narrowed her eyes, leaning closer to the copy, "Just try it. You hurt anyone and I will hurt you."

"**Ha! You just don't get it do you?! I AM you!"**

"Just get out and leave me alone!"

"**I'll come out soon enough. Just not yet. I'll let you have fun with your little training and such. I'll be waiting. The right moment will approach soon and you will be no more. See you later, sweetheart."**

The dark Mika smirked devilishly.

With that, the mountains faded with her vision and there was darkness. Mika blinked but there was nothing.

A growl sounded in the darkness and Mika began to panic.

"**It's been a while little one. So you've found my sister?"** the familiar deep gristle of a voice spoke. Mika turned around shocked and almost cried out in joy as she saw Okami standing before her but at about the same height as Imako this time

"Okami! You're here!"

"**Where else would I go?"**

Mika felt a tear, "What just happened?! do you know?"

Okami grinned much like his sister, **"For now, it seems as though you've won the battle with your dark chakra. However, it was an unjust battle seeing as she just '**_**let**_**' you win. She'll reappear soon enough"**

Mika nodded, "So what now? Do I get to train with Imako and Kenshin yet or-"

"**Not quite"**,a new voice sounded in the prison and Mika spun around to see Imako standing there.

"Imako? How are you here?!"

Okami smiled, **"Sister. It's been a while."**

"**Thirteen years to be exact**" Imako agreed, "**And I am here because I sent my consciousness into yours so I could see what you saw. My brother is right. She'll return soon but not yet. For now to make sure she doesn't, I'll have to place a seal on Okami's paw. Hold it out, brother."**

Okami whined but gave his sister his paw. Mika watched as Imako poked his 'wrist' with her nose, causing a sealing mark in the shape of a strange swirling circle to appear. Mika and Okami both whined in pain.

"**There"** Imako spoke, "**That seal will last for one year. We'll see how it goes after that. For now, though that seal will protect you from the dark chakra and prevent 'her' from emerging from your body physically. Understand?"**

Mika and Okami nodded.

"**Very well. You may wake up now young kunoichi. You are now fully ready to begin your real training. I did not expect your dark half to emerge so quickly."**

"Why? How long has it been? A few hours?"

Imako shook her head, **"Try five days, kid"**

Mika's jaw dropped in shock, "What?! What do you mean five days?! It doesn't feel like that!"

Imako sighed, **"You were meditating, child. And on top of that, you were in your own consciousness where all time and space are measured differently. When you awaken, you'll go to sleep and the next morning, we'll get to the real training."**

Mika nodded and left Okami's prison. She opened her eyes to see that she was still on the mountain and Kenshin and Imako were still beside her. Mika got up and blinked a few times. Finally after a few more moments, Kenshin reopened his eyes and Imako left back inside his body.

"So you did it then? Interesting. You have much potential little one.

Mika grinned, "What will we start with first?!"

"Jutsu you mean?" he asked and Mika grinned widely, "First you'll learn more wind jutsu since your original chakra element is wind. Then we'll go to water and then Lightning. By the end of the two years you'll be here, you'll have mastered the storm elements and the darkness within you."

"But I can already do wind and Lightning Jutsu."

Kenshin sighed, "Imako has told me of this but you do not understand yet. By the end of your first year here you'll have mastered the most dangerous jutsu for a storm elemental."

"What's that?"

"Instead of fake lighting from your own chakra, you'll have mastered REAL lightning form the sky and nature. Do you understand?"

Mika nodded slowly, _' Real Lightning?! Are these guys crazy?!'_

"Yeah. Sure." She agreed.

(Flashback)

It was before she had met Gaara, right after the Land of Waves mission when Kakashi was teaching her the Chidori Lightning Blade.

"But Sensei" Mika whined, "I don't understand. Wouldn't it be more powerful and easier to use real Lightning instead of creating it with our chakra?"

Kakashi sighed, "No Mika. Real lightning is too dangerous, even for me. There was only one time when I was much younger did I manage to split a lightning bolt clean in half but it did significant damage to me."

"What do you mean, sensei?" she was curious now.

The masked man smiled, "Well think about it. The average lightning bolt carries one billion volts of electricity. For a human, the severity of injury from electrical shock depends on the amount of electrical current and the length of time the current passes through the body. For example, 1/10 of an amp of electricity going through the body for just 2 seconds is enough to cause death. There are 50,000-100,000 amps of electricity in a bolt of lightning."

Mika whistled in fear, "Damn. Okay then so if I try to control lightning, I'll die? Got it. I'll stick to creating it with my chakra then."

Kakashi smirked, "That would be best."

(end of flashback)

Mika gulped, "There goes that out the window."

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The next day, Mika had finished the scroll of rules and rested to full recovery. She put on her monk robes and fixed her hair.

'_I wonder how they'll expect me to control real lightning? Will it be anything like the Chidori? Oh shit! But what about the dark chakra coming out? I usually have to use Okami's chakra to use the Chidori by itself. So then I have no doubt I'll have to use his chakra whilst controlling the real thing. How will that work? Won't the dark me pop out or something?'_

Mika touched her seal on her stomach, _'Will things ever be the same?'_

She left the room, still thinking to herself, '_How much time do I have left before I have to leave again? Shit, how long has it been? A few weeks? A month? I don't even remember.'_

**"It's been a month and a half since you left Konoha if that's what you're wondering, little one."**

Mika jolted to see Imako walking beside her, "Uuuuuhhhh. . .I didn't say anything?"

Imako chuckled, "**You didn't have to, young kunoichi. I am a tailed demon, remember? There is no limit to what I can do. I could hear your mind. The questions plague inside like a forest fire."**

Mika blushed, "Yeah, I got a lot of questions. But how long exactly then do I have to train here?"

Imako thoughts about it, "**Well let's see. You had almost two years after you left Konoha. It was about two weeks when you stayed in Suna and it took you a week and a half to get from Suna to this mountain. That makes your journey already a month. You have at least one year and a half to complete your training and leave back to Konoha to see your brother and friends in Suna. To show how much you've grown."**

Mika smiled, "Alright. That's not a lot of time but I guess it'll have to do. What are we doing today?"

"We'll be practicing your wind like we talked about remember?" Kenshin came around a turn making Mika jump.

"Alright you guys got to quite that!" She placed a hand on her heart, "Kenshin I don't want to offend you but will these robes really work for training? I mean their beautiful and all but they're a bit long, you know?"

Kenshin studied her robe, "Yeah I suppose you're right. But these aren't really your training clothes anyway I should have mentioned before." He grinned.

Mika frowned, "Then what are my training clothes?"

The older black haired man smiled, "Follow me."

Imako smiled and pushed Mika's back with her nose to move her, leading her to follow Kenshin.

It took a few minutes to get to their destination but when they came to the entrance of the mountain, Mika saw three old monks standing in front of a chest. Kenshin motioned for her to follow and they all came before the three monks.

The first one on the left was bald with a mustache, "Hello young Uzumaki. I am Akira, the third noble monk of the Red Storm Temple."

The one on the right with a white beard and balding head spoke, "I am Itsuki, the second noble monk of the red Storm temple."

The one in the middle with a long gray beard and bald head finally spoke, "And I am Ryuu, the first noble monk of the Red Strom Temple and Kenshin's mentor. Today you will begin your training as a Red Storm pupil of Imako and Kenshin. In this chest lies the uniform you shall wear here for your training. At all other times, you shall wear the white and red monk robes that were given to you five days ago."

Mika nodded, "Yes Sir."

Kenshin opened the chest carefully to reveal a standard mesh shirt, a black short-sleeved shirt to cover over the mesh, black pants, black boots and a white jacket with the kanji on the back in red for the word 'Storm'.

Mika gasped, "It's awesome."

Kenshin smirked and Mika suddenly remembered, "Where's Isamu?"

Kenshin frowned, "Oh he's in the library. He will not be allowed to watch the training for he is just a civilian. An outsider cannot know the secrets of the tailed beats and ninja so easily, correct?"

Mika frowned, "I guess. But he's your brother isn't he? He matters right?"

"Of course. It's just in the rules. Remember?"

Mika nodded, "Right. The rules."

'_These rules are just sounding more and more strange.'_

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**R&R**


	6. Unexpected and Unwelcome Guests

**Welcome everyone to the next chapter in my fanfiction! And yes, I time skipped! Please don't kill me! Lol**

**More flashbacks involved in this chapter and scene changes! Time skips!**

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

"**Demon"**

(flashbacks)

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_One year later . . . _

The red-haired female Jinchuriki stared out into the mountainous horizon. The lightning striking almost every two seconds. She stood on the top of Mount Arashi, the mountain closest to the ocean coast. The fifteen year old kunoichi watched as the waves crashed on top of one another, the lightning and thunder pulsing together in her senses.

The wind howled and whistled in the air signaling a snow storm approaching.

She sniffed the air, breathing deeply to inhale the sweet aroma of the fresh snow and ocean water.

Her cloak thrashed behind her, the white fabric blending in with the environment but the black spandex clothes she wore standing out in the white storm.

She turned her crystal blue eyes towards the temple, _'Imako. I am ready'_

A bolt of lightning clasped in front of her, the large black twelve tailed demon wolf standing where the bolt hit. Mika smiled.

"**Are you sure little one? It has been a whole year but do you really think you have concurred the hatred already?"**

Mika nodded, "Yes. I do. I have learned many things while living with you and the monks and patience and clarity was a few of the great things. I am ready."

Imako sighed, "**Very well. I'll take them off then."**

It had been a whole year after Mika had started her training in the Red Storm Temple. After her first real encounter with her hatred, the monks placed a calming seal tattoo on her stomach along with her seal that marked her as a Jinchuriki. Even though Imako had placed a similar seal on her brother's paw, it was only complete if Mika sported it as well so all of her was at peace.

It was difficult at first and whenever she felt the hatred and anger inside of her, the calming seal would project a special chakra throughout her that would spread calming vibes and air around her to calm her and prevent the hatred chakra from coming out again.

Now that a year has passed, Mika now believes that she can live without the tattoo on her anymore.

'_I can do it myself now. I will control this hate within me and use the powers I've learned here to tame it'_

Imako came forward and pressed her nose onto Mika's stomach, the tattoo receding, **"Now go into the meditative state into Okami's prison and I'll do the same thing there."**

Mika did as she was told and closed her eyes. After a year living with the monks, Kenshin put her through all sorts of calming treatments. This included meditating and now she considered herself a master at it.

When Mika reopened her eyes she faced Okami, his teeth shining in his wolfish smile. He was happy to see his sister again.

"**Imako. Finally going to trust us?"**

The black she-wolf demon chuckled, "**I'll try. But if things end up going wrong then you know what will happen."**

"**The Tattoo again. Yes, I know. I get it just take it off. It's been burning with calming sedatives and it's pissing me off!"**

His sister smirked and placed her muzzle on his paw, removing the tattoo.

"**There. Happy now, crybaby?"**

"**Hmph"**

Mika couldn't help but laugh quietly at the relationship they had. It was so similar to her and Naruto's. Just like siblings.

Her smile faded as memories rushed back to her of all the times they had spent together, which actually wasn't very many.

Imako's growl disturbed her thoughts and she reopened her eyes to look out onto the mountains and ocean again. The storm was approaching fast, a wall of snow and wind rushing to the mountains like a sand storm in the desert. It was almost frightening.

Imako growled beside her, **"So how has your new jutsu been developing?"**

Mika smiled, "It's been doing great, Imako. I think I've almost got it down."

"**Any troubles?"**

"Eh" she shrugged, "A few but it's nothing I can't handle."

The black wolf chuckled and sighed, "**Well after the storm subsides, then you can show me but for now I suggest you work on the lightning teleportation technique I showed you before the storm hits. It will be here in less than twelve hours."**

"Ha!" Mika burst in laughter, "I bet I can master it in six hours!"

"**Don't be so cocky."** Imako warned, **"That's how you injured yourself the first time, remember? It's a good thing Isamu found you in time and was able to heal you or else the lightning burn would have killed you."**

Mika rubbed her back where she sported her newest burn scar. She had been practicing the lightning teleportation technique when she made a wrong move and the lightning struck her, damaging some nerves and her skin. Luckily Isamu and Okami were able to help her heal and it barely ever bothered her any more. Good thing Isamu had been practicing medical ninjutsu from the library and other monks.

"Yeah yeah. But I've been practicing now and I think I almost got it."

"**What about the Rasen-"**

"I got it! I promise!" Mika interrupted, "I've got to master this jutsu though. It'll be important one day I know it."

Imako sighed, **"The lightning teleportation Technique is not something that can be learned quickly. It requires blending your power and mind with nature calling forth my brother's nature element and using it to control the unstable electricity within the bolt of lightning you'll be passing through to teleport to other destinations. It's an S-ranked Jutsu! You've only been training for it a few months and it took Kenshin five years! He hasn't even really mastered it himself yet! Try working on your water jutsu more. You've' barely worked on that element."**

"Well I'm not Kenshin, Imako. I can do it. As for the water jutsu . . . I don't think I'm really cut out for that."

Imako groaned, "**First of all, water style is Okami's original element, thus you CAN use it."**

"Whatever"

Knowing well that she wouldn't be able to get past the barrier of stubbornness, Imako sighed and gave up, "**Fine then. Very well. Just be back at the temple within ten hours."**

Mika nodded, "Yep."

It was a few minutes later that Imako left when Mika took a deep breathe. She didn't want to hurt herself like the last time but she was so determined in mastering this jutsu that she would risk anything to master it. After all if Naruto could master the Rasengan, an S-ranked jutsu, in a week, why couldn't' she master the Lightning Teleportation?

She felt the lightning come closer to her, the unstable bolts stabbing the mountains with its power.

She was almost ready when the lightning bolt landed only right in front of her.

"Ah!" Mika jumped away and huffed.

'_Dammit! I was so close! Why is it that every time I'm so close, I chicken out?!'_

Well you have to admit. The thought of lightning striking you, bringing you up into the sky with it and teleporting you to a whole new destination with the same crackling technique was pretty scary.

Mika sighed, '_This is going to be a long ten hours if I'm going to be able to master it by then'._

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Kenshin watched Mt. Arashi from the temple, slightly worried about his friend. After a year of training, Kenshin and Mika had learned a lot about one another. Kenshin used to be part of a village with his brother, Isamu, until the incident with Okami and the Nine-tails happened. Kenshin was then chosen by Imako herself to be her Jinchuriki and he was taken from his home and family to live with monks and learn how to live with the powerful demon inside of him. He was only seven years old and he was cut off from everything that was his old life and all he knew.

However, some old sparks of happiness seemed to have appeared back within him when he had met his brother once more. Although it was treason for an outsider to step foot in the temple without permission, Imako gave her blessing and allowed Isamu to stay and keep his brother company.

"Oh Mika." He smiled, "You've brought me my life back and I couldn't be happier."

It was a few minutes later when Ryuu, the first noble monk of the Red storm temple and second in command to Kenshin, walked out to deliver some news.

"Master Kenshin." The older man spoke, "The guardian wolves have detected outsiders near the mountains. There are three of them. All male. What are your orders?"

Kenshin thought about it. It had been awhile since unwelcome humans have entered the territory of the temple. Many people knew and had spread rumors that the mountains near the ocean were not to be traveled by. Could they be invaders?

"Tell the guard wolves to keep eyes on them but do not strike unless they find the entrance to the temple."

Ryuu nodded, "Yes Master Kenshin."

Without another word, the monk left Kenshin alone again but it was only a few seconds later when Imako reappeared via lightning again.

"**Greetings Kenshin."**

"Greetings Imako" Kenshin nodded back to his demon, "How's Mika's training for the day going?"

The wolf sighed, **"She's a stubborn one. She claims she's going to continue trying to practice the lightning teleportation until she masters it **_**today.**_** I also removed her calming seal tattoo"**

"You did what?!"

"**Oh relax Kenshin." **Imako yawned, "**She'll be fine. I trust her."**

"Hm. You might but what if she is just overestimating herself? She's too confident and too arrogant sometimes."

"**I agree but I also admire her spirit. She's got guts this one does. I think she'll be fine."**

"Hm" Kenshin bit his finger nail, "The storm is approaching. How long until it hits do you think?"

"**Twelve hours. I told Mika to keep training for ten more hours so she'll have plenty of time to make it back here before the storm reaches us."**

Kenshin nodded.

'_I just hope these outsiders aren't going to be too much trouble'_

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Three men, all varying in ages, walked in the snow, only a few hours away from the mountains.

"Are you sure the temple is out there?"

"Oh yes. It's there. I know it."

"But what if those villagers were right? One said there was a snow storm approaching. It'll be the worst one in years. Shouldn't we wait until it passes?"

"No. Listen to your elders and respect my decision you ungrateful brat"

"Hn. Whatever."

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Mika stood a top of the mountain, screaming in frustration but still keeping her cool, letting off steam in the snowy wastelands.

The lightning crashed beside her and she flinched violently.

'_Dammit! Why can't I do this!? Why am I so afraid?!'_

Mika remembered back into her training when Imako told her about how to control real lightning.

(flashback)

"**Now remember, Mika, real lightning is far more dangerous than your chakra lightning. One mistake and you can die."**

Mika gulped.

"**The only way to control real lightning is to give yourself up to nature."**

"G-give myself up? What do you mean?" now she was confused.

"**Well"** Imako gazed at the sky, "**As lightning is unstable, so are human emotions. One thought and all can be blasted away. The same is for lightning. One crash to the right or wrong spot and a disaster can happen. To control the lightning you must control your emotions and give them all up. Give up yourself."**

(end of flashback)

"I can do this"

Mika took a deep breath and calmed herself once again.

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Kenshin sighed, "It's been ten hours Imako. She should be on her way back now right?"

Imako stalked around the statues of her and Okami, "Yes. However, I don't think she is quite aware of the time."

Kenshin groaned but as he was going to say something, the monk Ryuu walked in, "Master Kenshin!"

The black haired monk turned to his second in command, "Yes, Ryuu?"

"Those three males have gotten closer to the temple! Should I tell Toshi to attack to wait to see if they pass?"

Kenshin hummed, "They've certainly come a long way haven't they? They must be shinobi like Mika if they have come so far so quickly. I'm curious now. What do you think Imako?"

The large black wolf demon tilted her head, **"I don't know Kenshin. Do you think it's safe to just let them pass?"**

The monk shrugged, "Maybe their friends of Mika?"

Imako narrowed her eyes, "**I don't think so. I can smell them from here. One wreaks of evil. Another is mysterious and I can't smell him fully but the other smells of pure determination."**

"Let them come then. I want to hear what they have to say for trespassing this far."

Ryuu nodded and walked off to give the message to Toshi, the alpha wolf in the guard pack.

"Do you think they're friends of Mika's ?" Kenshin asked Imako.

"**I do not know. Let's just hope Mika gets here soon to tell us. We don't want to hurt them if they are friends of hers."**

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Mika breathed heavily, her chakra draining fast and the storm coming close.

'_Perhaps I should leave now. . . But I'm so close! I can feel it!'_

She breathed hard a few more times , "Just a few more times!"

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Toshi, the guard wolf stood outside the cave entrance staring down the three men wearing cloaks.

"It's a wolf" one of them spoke, "What's he guarding?"

"It must be the temple. I knew it had to be around her somewhere. My memory is fading with old age it seems."

"Pft" The youngest scoffed softly.

Toshi glared, "State your business intruders."

"It just talked." The middle in age was surprised, "So this must be a ninja wolf then."

The guard alpha growled, "I said state you purpose here!" he crouched defensively.

"Don't worry" the oldest chuckled, "We are friends. We seek the company of Kenshin Katashi, the head monk of Red Storm Temple."

Toshi was shocked they knew of the names and taking heed of Ryuu's advice, stepped back, "Alright, then. Follow me and I'll take you to him."

The oldest smirked, "Why thank you."

At the clash of lightning and thunder, the youngest looked off into the distance. It was a strange phenomenon. He could see many bolts of lightning striking the same mountain quickly, not letting up for a second.

'_Strange_' he thought before following the other two in the cave.

-88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888-

Mika roared with all she had, letting the lightning strike the mountain repeatedly. Her emotions were going out of whack with the adrenaline and the amount of chakra that she had lost. She was losing control and the lightning was expressing that, striking the mountain nonstop in the same areas around her.

'_Do it! Do it! I can do it! I can! Strike me!'_

"Graaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" She screamed, trying to control both her emotions and lightning but it was hard. She doubted even Kakashi could master this jutsu.

'_But I have to._' She thought, '_I have to do this'_

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Kenshin waited at the entrance of the temple for the three men to come inside. He was nervous but stood his ground with Imako at his side. However, even he knew that there can be no violence allowed in the temple. He would have to distract them and lead them back outside if he had to fight them.

Finally the three cloaked men arrived from the cave and Kenshin's eyes widened.

"Y-you" he started seeing the oldest man's features it scared him slightly, "Who are you three. State your names and purpose here! Now!"

The oldest man smiled widely, "Why don't feel alarmed. We are here for you, dear Kenshin."

Kenshin stepped back,"What do you mean? Who are you?!"

Imako stepped in front of her host and growled.

The middle aged man sighed, "We are here because we have head that you are a master at lightning jutsu is that correct?"

Kenshin gulped, "Yes. Sort of."

The oldest smiled, "Well we would very much appreciate it if you could teach this young man here. You see, I have lightning chakra so I figured we could visit the Red Storm Temple for advice. What do you say?"

Kenshin was very reluctant, "I. . . I'm sorry but I don't do the lightning jutsus myself. My partner here helps me and teaches me. I'm still actually learning myself. I'm a master in the theoretical knowledge."

The oldest male growled, "My student will be taught!"

Kenshin flinched, "I get it, sir, but I cannot teach him. However, there is one person amongst us you can. She is the newest recruit and still learning but learning fast."

"She?"

"Yes. In fact, she should be arriving soon. Anytime now really"

The oldest male growled, "What's her name?"

Suddenly a bolt of lightning crashed inside the temple in between the monks and the three strangers. The flash was a mere second but when it disappeared, the white cloak emerged from the strike, still flapping from the impact of teleportation. The kanji for 'storm' whisked in the wind with her jacket ironically.

Mika breathed heavily," I-I made it sir. Imako, I mastered the jutsu!"

Imako and Kenshin stared at her in shock. Even Imako was surprised at the girl's progress and didn't expect her to master the jutsu so quickly.

Kenshin's mouth was hanging open, "Uh. G-good job Mika"

"Mika?" the youngest male in the group spoke and pulled down his cloak. Mika turned to the intruders and gasped.

"S-sasuke?!"

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**R&R**


End file.
